CHRIST 

OR 

BARABBAS 


A PSYCHIC NOVEL 


B. F. AUSTIN, A.M.,D.D. 




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CHRIST or BARABBAS 

A PSYCHIC NOVEL 



By 

B. F. AUSTIN, A.M.,D.D. 

Author of 

“The Mystery of Ashton Hall,” “Self Unfoldment,” * ^Rational 
Memory Training,” ‘‘Glimpses of the Unseen,'* 

“Rifts in the Cloud,” 

“Christianity and Spiritualism,” 

Etc. 



Published by 

AUSTIN PUBLISHING CO., 
Los Angeles, Cal. 



Copyright, August 1921 
By B. F. Austin 




MG !7 1921 

I 


CHRIST or BARABBAS 


CHAPTER I. 

The Conspiracy 

In the fall of 1906 there were gathered one evening 
in a private parlor of the hotel Astoria in Boston four 
medical students around a table plentifully supplied 
with wine and stronger drink, all of them more or less 
under the influence of intoxicants. First in order, as in 
a sort of natural leadership, was Charles Algernon 
Havergal, the son of a leading clergyman in a city of 
California noted for its great beauty and the number of 
its millionaires. Tall, sinewy in frame, prepossessing 
and magnetic in personality, and with an air of good 
breeding and courtesy, he won his way to favor easily 
in the social circle and to leadership among his boon 
companions. As a minister’s son he illustrated the 
adage : 'The nearer the church, the farther from grace.” 
At home and in the circle of his home surroundings he 
was apparently greatly interested in church work, and 
a regular attendant upon religious services, but away 
from home ties and influences, his conduct showed an 
absence of moral principle and a moral perversity that 
would have shocked his family and home friends. Hav- 
ing successfully completed his matriculation studies 
and passed the examination with some credit his over- 
indulgent parents naturally looked forward to a bril- 
liant college career for young Havergal in whatever 
profession he might select for his life work. 

Three things had contributed chiefly to his moral 
downfall — the stern austerity and unbending restraint 
and discipline of his father in the home life, the over 
indulgence of his fond, yet weak and doting mother, 
and a too liberal supply of spending money in the hands 


6 


CHRIST OR BARABBAS 


of one who had never earned a dollar or learned how 
to properly use a dollar. Add to this the drinking habits 
and devil-may-care spirit prevalent in certain medical 
colleges and we have the explanation of a minister's 
son at twenty-three who was a hypocrite in religion and 
a shameless libertine who could ruthlessly betray the 
innocent and heartlessly cast aside the victims of his 
own indulgence. 

Richard Holbrook and James Ashton — “Dick” and 
“Jimmie” as they were called — were about HavergaFs 
age and very much of the same type of character and 
both of them admirers and imitators of their leader. 
They especially gloried in the achievements of Haver- 
gal, his skill and daring in winning the favor of the 
fair sex. 

Somewhat younger, more sedate, circumspect and 
conscientious was Thomas Fairbanks, who, though a 
victim of the drink habit, still possessed a sense of 
truth and right, that no degree of inebriety could fully 
submerge. 

All were smoking as Havergal called out, “Boys, 
fill her up again and Til tell you what's on my mind.” 

After a quick response from his chums, Charlie 
continued 

“Do you remember that stunningly pretty waitress 
at the Italian restaurant where we dined two weeks 
ago ? Well, I have half a mind to drop my little French 
Beauty and pay court to the waitress, Rose Cameron !” 

“ril bet you could win her Charlie, if you tried,” 
said Dick. 

“To be sure you could,” added Jimmie. 

“Of course I could win her,” responded Charlie, 
now in a semi-intoxicated and boastful frame of tem- 
per. “I get what I want, you know — it's only a question 
of time and patience. And, by Jove, I'll do it. What do 
you think of that, boys ?” 

“If you once got an introduction, Charlie, and 
could fasten those magnetic eyes of yours upon her, 


CHRIST OR BARABBAS 


7 


you would win her all right, my hoy/* said Jimmie. 

‘What do you say, Tom?^' asked Charlie of Fair- 
banks who had been silent and thoughtful. 

“I say,” replied Tom, “it would add nothing to 
your credit if you did win her, but I think you over- 
estimate yourself as a lady-killer.” 

“Oh, you think I overestimate myself, do you?” 
said Charles in a nasty temper. “I overestimate my- 
self, do I? Well, ril bet you one hundred dollars that I 
take Rose Cameron out to dinner inside of two weeks 
and that I marry her within four weeks.” 

“Marry her!” they shouted in chorus. “Are you 
crazy?” asked Dick. 

“Not more than usual,” laughed Charlie. 

After another glass and a moment of silence Hav- 
ergal arose and said, 

“It's not a bad idea — marrying Rose Cameron,” 
and then chuckling half audibly, “there are lots of di- 
vorce courts, and trial marriages are being advocated 
these days, and then there are legal marriages and 
marriages not so legal — real marriages and mock mar- 
riages. Damn me — ^but it's a good idea! Who wants 
to take my bet ?” 

At this challenge Fairbanks arose, and pointing 
his finger at Havergal, he said, “Charlie, you are a 
scoundrel I know, but you are too much of a coward to 
marry that waitress. And I don't believe she would 
wipe her shoes on you. She's a lady as any one can 
see.” 

“Damn you !” cried Havergal now in a rage. “I'm 
a fool and a scoundrel, am I ? And a coward too ?” 

Throwing off his coat he rushed at Tom and aimed 
a vicious blow at him which was deftly parried, and by 
this time their chums separated them and young Fair- 
banks was persuaded to apologize, after which he ac- 
cepted the wager and the following paper was drawn 
up and duly signed by each. 


8 


CHRIST OR BARABBAS 


Boston, October, 1906. 

Richard Algernon Havergal wagers Thomas Fair- 
banks the sum of One Hundred Dollars that he will 
take out to dinner within two weeks, Rose Cameron, 
waitress at the Italian Restaurant, and marry her with- 
in four weeks. 

(Signed) Charles A. Havergal, 
Thomas Fairbanks. 

Tom, in signing, declared that the marriage was to 
be a legal one and no mockery — that the man who 
would concoct a mock-marriage was too contemptible 
a creature to live and breathe the air and sunlight — 
and that if any friend of his was ever guilty of such an 
act, he would himself try to put him where he justly 
belonged — ^behind prison bars. And so, having re- 
lieved his conscience and deposited his money with Dick 
as stakeholder, he took leave of his companions. 

After Fairbanks left there was considerable more 
drinking and Havergal called out, 

'‘Boys, I mean to win that bet and I rely on you to 
help me. I need your help in two ways; first in the 
introduction and then in the marriage ceremony. IVe 
thought it out in part and here's my plan. Rose lives 
on a short and narrow street off Main street. Some 
night I want you to fix up as street ruffians and attack 
her on the way home — say about eleven o'clock, as that 
is about the hour she returns home. And I, of course, 
in college gown and hat appear as one of the Faculty 
and after a rough and tumble fight I am victorious and 
pose as her heroic defender. Let it be tomorrow eve- 
ning. Meet me at ten thirty P. M. at Ruggles' saloon on 
Main street. Say — isn't that an idea worthy of a 
genius ?" 

The boys whose brains were muddled with drink 
readily assented and doubtless to them it appeared as 
an excellent college escapade, quite allowable under the 
circumstances. 


CHRIST OR BARABBAS 


9 


And thus began the Tragedy of a Human Life ! 

On her return next evening when within a few 
blocks of her aunt's house — Rose Cameron who was an 
orphan — was attacked and roughly treated for a time 
by two ill-favored tramps, and Havergal happening ( ?) 
to be coming from the opposite direction at the time 
called out to the ruffians, 

“Hands off, you rascals ! Leave that lady alone !" 

Throwing off his gown and hat he engaged most 
vigorously the two marauders. He was twice knocked 
down, and his face and hair soon showed signs of the 
desperate struggle which lasted several minutes, till 
releasing himself from the embrace of his opponent 
he dealt him a vigorous blow which temporarily dis- 
abled him, and seizing the other soon had him upon 
his back begging for mercy. After visiting condign 
punishment upon her ruffianly assailants, he was gath- 
ering up his things preparatory to departure when Rose 
extended her hand and gave generous praise for his 
timely assistance. After he escorted her to her home 
he handed her a card which bore the name of Prof. 
Reginald Squires. 

Three weeks later, at her aunt's cottage a marriage 
was solemnized and Rose received a marriage certifi- 
cate from the hands of the officiating clergyman. 

A month afterwards two gentlemen called upon 
Rose with the sad intelligence of the death of Prof. 
Reginald Squires by drowning. One of the men was pro- 
fessedly a friend of the Professor and the other his 
lawyer. They gave so circumstantial an account of his 
death and the search, fruitless so far, for his body as 
to convince Rose she was a widow, and to satisfy her of 
the propriety of yielding up the marriage certificate 
to enable the lawyer in her behalf to claim her share 
of the Professor's estate, promising to report daily as 
to the finding of the body and their progress in secur- 
ing her claims to the property. 


10 


CHRIST OR BARABBAS 


Day after day Rose waited and watched for their 
coming till ‘‘hope deferred” made her heart sick and 
she yielded at last to the inevitable and saw the whole 
light of life go out in the blackness of despair. 


CHAPTER II. 


The Discovery 

Six months have elapsed — crowded full of agony 
and heart-break for the beautiful waitress of the Ital- 
ian Restaurant. 

Our story now shifts from the aunPs cottage in 

Boston to the Havergal home in the lovely city of 

California. 

After the short courtship and a few weeks of mar- 
ried life the shock of her great misfortune drove her 
for a time into utter incapacity for work or thought, 
and she was compelled to give up her position and sank 
into a condition of nervous prostration out of which 
she gradually recovered her physical strength, but heart 
and courage were gone out of her life. Her aunt, never 
too pleasant and agreeable, had favored the early wed- 
ding with the College Professor, completely carried 
away with the adroit flattery which Havergal em- 
ployed, and allured by the hints of his wealth thrown 
out in his conversation. 

As soon as it became apparent to her mind that no 
fortune was to come into the family, and that poor Rose 
had been basely deceived, she chided her most unmer- 
cifully for her folly, and upbraided her for giving up 
her marriage certificate — and constantly sought to im- 
press Rose's mind with the thought that no real mar- 
riage had taken place. Rose, however, persisted in 
holding fast to the hope that some unforeseen happen- 
ing had delayed proceedings, and that despite all ap- 
pearances to the contrary, she would yet find her worst 
fears untrue. 


12 


CHRIST OR BARABBAS 


As the days passed, however, and no tidings of any 
kind came to cheer her, and her aunt's reproaches in- 
creased in bitterness, her position became unbearable. 
Her aunt in her gusts of vituperation declared that un- 
less the matter could be publicly righted by securing 
the marriage certificate, she would not tolerate Rose's 
presence longer in the family. 

Rose, stung to madness by her aunt's reproaches, 
resolved to go out into the world alone and face the 
fate that awaited her. So with the small sum which 
she had saved from her earnings, assisted slightly by 
her aunt who seemed anxious to get rid of her, she 
turned her face toward the setting sun. After a rapid 
journey she found herself in the famous San Gabriel 
Valley with its checker-board of orchards of oranges, 
lemons and apricots, and its gorgeous wealth of flowers, 
in sight of Mt. Lowe and Mt. Wilson, one of the loveliest 
and most favored spots of earth. 

Her. desire to get as far away from the scene of 
the calamity which had fallen on her young life was 
gratified. Unable to find employment of the kind she 
had in Boston through lack of references, she resolved 
to seek work as a domestic for a time in some private 
home. 

Was it coincidence, chance or fate that brought her 
wandering footsteps all unknowing to the home of her 
betrayer ? Some undoubtedly would find in this singular 
fact an over-ruling Providence; some the kindly moni- 
tion of unseen helpers, while others would affirm a 
Nemesis followed the footsteps of transgressors bring- 
ing home condign punishment upon the betrayer of 
youthful innocence. 

Dr. Richard Havergal was one of the most eminent 
clergymen of his body and ministered to a congregation 
representing largely the wealth and intelligence of the 

affluent city of P . He was a man of sincere 

piety, stern and unbending in his maintenance of the 
old theology, and holding out bravely against the on- 


CHRIST OR BARABBAS 


13 


slaught of the wider and more liberal views of today 
and the attacks of the Higher Criticism. He set forth 
religion as a duty and not a privilege, and dwelt largely 
in his teachings on the fall and degradation of human 
nature and the Gospel Plan of redemption as the only 
remedy for the sins and sufferings of the race. 

Mrs. Havergal had in her character more of the 
brightness and joy of religion as a service of humanity, 
and reflected more of that 'flove of good’^ which Tenny- 
son believed was “common to all men.” She was a 
woman of great grace and beauty, with a heart full 
of sympathy for human suffering and she heard with 
liveliest compassion Rose's story of her orphan life, her 
loneliness and her desire to win an honest livelihood. 
She was impressed with the speech, manner and pleas- 
ing personality of Rose and soon made her a welcome 
guest in the home circle and gave her abundant proofs 
of her generous compassion and hearty good-will. 
Through her efforts Rose soon entered a class of in- 
struction in religious teaching and after a few months 
was admitted to membership in Dr. Havergal's church. 

Shortly after this event several minor circum- 
stances aroused Mrs. Havergal’s suspicions as to Rose's 
condition, and one day she sought a private interview 
with Rose and asked her if she was not soon to become 
a mother. And Rose, surprised, confused and heart- 
broken burst into a flood of tears and confessed the 
truth. When further questioned by Mrs. Havergal she 
declared that she was a married woman and her hus- 
band was dead, had been drowned shortly after their 
marriage. On being further pressed for information, 
being from Mrs. Havergal' s manner now convinced of 
the seeming improbabilty of her story, she declined 
to answer all further questioning. 

Not long after she was waited upon by a delega- 
tion of the elect ladies of the church, who in a peremp- 
tory way proceeded to examine and cross question her 
categorically. And Rose not feeling under obligation 


u 


CHRIST OR BARABBAS 


to them, as she did to Mrs. Havergal, gave them but 
little information, and very soon became angry and 
utterly refused to continue the conversation. She re- 
sented the intrusion of strangers into her life, feeling 
that her mind was enough perturbed, and her heart 
had sufficient of human sorrow without the meddlesome 
curiosity of strangers as an additional burden. She 
began seriously to doubt that she had ever been legally 
married, and again, she would, as her only consolation, 
cherish hope against hope in the honesty of the gallant 
young lover to whom she had yielded her affections 
and her hand. 

Soon after the interviews alluded to above, the 
elect ladies failing to gain satisfactory answers from 
Rose, the whole matter was taken up and thoroughly 
canvassed in a family council in the pastor's parlor to 
which a few of the elders and their wives were admit- 
ted, and it was speedily decided, largely on the opinion 
of Dr. Havergal — that in the interests of the younger 
children, and to avoid the scandal of an illegitimate ( ?) 
birth in the household. Rose must shortly leave the 
Manse. Mrs. Havergal was sorely pained by this deci- 
sion, but yielded to the superior judgment of her hus- 
band and of the council, and matters were in this con- 
dition when the hopeful son and heir of the Havergal 
home, Charles Algernon Havergal, wended his way — 
like Rose all unknowing what awaited him — to his 
home early in July from his adventures in the Medical 
College. 

The Reverend head of the house was in his study 
prayerfully compounding his sermon for the following 
Sunday. The children were at school and Mrs. Haver- 
gal attending to some duties in the kitchen. Rose 
attired in a wrapper was dusting the furniture of the 
parlor, when Charles, cigarette in hand, and singing 
snatches of a merry song, entered the room. He did 
not see Rose on entering, and when he caught a re- 
flection of her in the mirror did not recognize her at 


CHRIST OR BARABBAS 


15 


first as her face was turned from him. But when she 
turned to see who had entered she instantly recognized 
him and his recognition of her was immediate. Sur- 
prised and frightened by the mutual recognition both 
started to leave the room by the same door and com- 
ing into contact he called out hoarsely, 

''Great God! Rose Cameron!” 

And when she heard the voice and her conscious- 
ness was awakened to the fact that her husband was 
there in very truth before her, she threw her arms 
about his neck and cried, 

"Oh, Reginald, you are alive! They told me you 
were dead!” 

And he, hastily releasing himself from her em- 
bracing arms, gasped out, 

"I wish to Heaven I were dead ! What brought you 
here? Here — of all places in the world — here!” 

Just at this moment Mrs. Havergal, attracted by 
the voices entered the room on the opposite side, and 
standing behind the half-open door, heard and wit- 
nessed the dramatic meeting. 

And Rose, now fully awakened to the character of 
the man she believed her husband and to the hope- 
lessness of her condition reached out appealing hands 
to him and said, 

"Oh, Reginald! Reginald! Are you not glad to 
see me?” 

And he in furious temper hissed out: 

"Yes ! Like h Fm glad to see you. I am not 

Reginald and I am not your husband. Don't you know 
who I am ?” 

And Rose tottering beneath these cruel blows cried 

out, 

"You married me as Professor Reginald Squires! 
You lived with me as my husband one month! Who 
in Heaven's name are you ?" 

And he, putting his lips to her ears and lowering 
his voice said. 


16 


CHRIST OR BARABBAS 


“I am Charles Algernon Havergal. My people live 
here. If you breathe a word to them I am ruined. What 
brought you here?'' 

Rose had fainted, but with a dash of cold water 
he restored her. And Rose — ^bewildered — awakening 
to full consciousness again — with face and voice ex- 
pressing unutterable misery said, 

“I don't know — what — ‘brought — me — ^here. I had 
i\ little money. Aunt did not want me there. Your 
friends said you were dead. After they got my certifi- 
cate Aunt would not keep me there. I had to go some- 
where. I thought you were dead." 

But Havergal beside himself with rage seizing her 
hands again demanded, 

''Why did you come here?" 

And Rose, sobbing, said, 

‘‘Oh, I do not know ! I do not know ! I wanted to 
get as far away as I could — ^hoping strangers would 
never know." Then seizing him by the coat she cried, 

“Tell me, was it all a mockery — our marriage?" 

And he answered, “Oh — I suppose — that’s about 
it!" 

Rose: “Then I was never married to you. It — 
was — all — a — plot ?" 

Havergal: “Yes, and you must get out of this — 
and never breathe a word of this. It would ruin my 
whole life. I'll " 

Rose: “Ruin you? But what of me? What of 
your unborn child?" And springing at him in a fury 
of rage she seized him by the coat and hissed in his 
ear, “Ruin you! You contemptible cur! Ruin you! 
If there was soul enough in you worth damning, God's 
judgments would strike you dead!" 

Then turning as if to find the family she said, “As 
God lives I'll not be turned into the world in disgrace 
out of your home ! I'll tell all ! All !" 

Havergal : “Rose ! Rose ! Listen to me ! Don't 
ruin the family ! See— I'll pay you well — ^but go — and 


CHRIST OR BARABBAS 


17 


say nothing! Here's money — I'll give you more — " 
and thrusting a roll of bills into her hand. 

Rose: “Money from you!" throwing the bills in 
his face. “Money from you ! I'd gladly starve first !" 

Havergal : “Oh, Rose be merciful !" 

Rose: “As you have been to me!" 

Havergal : “But Rose, you'll ruin my career !" 

Rose: “You selfish libertine! Neither you nor 
your career are worth saving!" 

She struggled to free herself and depart but Hav- 
ergal detained her and said: 

“Rose, this would kill my mother! Her heart is 
weak ! It would surely kill her !" 

And Rose, penitent, meditating, as if in soliloquy : 
“Yes, it would kill your mother — ^and she was — kind 
to me — a stranger. And I — will — save — her!" 

Then looking upon Havergal again a sudden fury 
possessed her and, rushing upon him, she seized him 
by the throat and said: 

“If you ever cross my path again I will kill you as 
I would a viper!" Then she left the room. 

While arranging his disordered collar and tie his 
mother entered the room and he rushed forward with 
extended arms to greet her. But she, pale, implacable 
and unresponsive to his greeting, looked sternly upon 
him and, pointing to a chair, commanded him to sit 
down. And Havergal, cowering and confused, with 
downcast face obeyed her. 

And she continued standing in a most painful 
silence for a time ; at last seated herself, and pressing 
her hand against her throbbing heart, said : 

“I have heard it all !" 

Then after a moment's rest she continued. 

“Had God willed it I would rather have looked 
upon your cold face in the coffin than to look upon you 
as a base libertine, a betrayer of innocence, plotting 

with evil men the ruin of an orphan girl ! My God ! 

the burden seems greater than I can bear ! But 


18 


CHRIST OR BARABBAS 


Fm thankful — the way of duty is plain. I will defend 
Rose and expose you!'^ 

Havergal, now fully aroused, cried out : 

“My God, mother, will you ruin me? You, my 
own sweet mother, will you ruin me when she is willing 
to spare me?” 

Mrs. Havergal: “Silence! Is your soul so small 
and mean you can think only of yourself? This day 
I blush that I am your mother ” 

Havergal: “But Mother, Mother, it cannot be 
helped now! Why ruin yourself, and father, and the 
girls ?” 

Mrs. Havergal, bursting into a fit of uncontrollable 
emotion and swaying to and fro in her agony, cried 
out: 

“Heaven help me! Heaven pity my poor girls! 
But I must defend the innocent and expose the guilty, — 
and ril do my duty if it kills me!” 

Havergal then rising hastily, rushed to his grip 
and, seizing a revolver, cried out : 

“Then Fll end it all here and now — I’ll not live 
under this exposure !” 

Mrs. Havergal, arising in fright, seized his arm 
and struggled with him, crying out: 

“Charles! Oh, Charles! My son! My son!” 

And he, still struggling with his mother, replied: 

“Mother, listen ! I’m not worthy to live — I cannot 
face father and the world under this — I’ll die the cow- 
ard’s death!” 

But she, still struggling and under mortal terror 
for her boy, pleadingly cried out : 

“Charles! Charles! Yes, anything but that ! Yes, 
I’ll sin with you — ^hiding your crime. Don’t shoot — I 
could not survive that!” 

And he, as if slowly relenting, said: 

“And you’ll not tell father, or anyone?” 

Mrs. Havergal : “No, Charles ! No ! I pledge my 
honor, Charles ! Fll never tell !” 


CHRIST OR BARABBAS 


19 


Then turning to his mother he kissed her and said : 

“I'll provide for her — but she must go. She was but 
a worthless jade!" 

Mrs. Havergal went out weeping and Charles, re- 
adjusting his clothing before the glass said, solilo- 
quizing : 

“That was a close shave — ^but I worked the suicide 
racket all right 1" 

A few minutes later Dr. Havergal opened the door 
and cried out: — 

“Well Charles, my boy, welcome home! Did not 
know you had arrived — ^but thought I heard voices and 
came down to see who was here." 

Charles: “Oh, that was just a little College reci- 
tation I was rehearsing. I have seen Mother and she 
is not feeling well just now. I would not disturb her 
for a while if I were you." 

After a few moments more conversation Dr. Hav- 
ergal went out and Charles whistled a merry air. 


CHAPTER III. 


Rose in Trouble Meets a Modern Christ 

Rose had prepared herself for immediate depar- 
ture and was on the point of going forth from the 
Manse without farewell to anyone, or even asking for 
her wages due, as she had resolved for the sake of Mrs. 
Havergal and her daughters to keep the dark secret 
of Charles' perfidy locked in her own breast, and to 
bear the guilt and shame of his sin, in requital for the 
love and kindness she had received, and lest in bringing 
the guilty to punishment she should crucify the woman 
who had befriended her. 

She sat upon her trunk in her little room that had 
become dear to her, disconsolate and unutterably lonely, 
facing an unknown future in which there rose before 
her vision a very Gethsemane of Sorrow and a thorny 
path of cross-bearing toward a Calvary she could dimly 
see in the distance, when a rap upon her door startled 
her and Mrs. Havergal pale as a spectre, and with eyes 
swollen with weeping, entered. She came up to Rose, 
took her in her motherly arms, and kissing her tenderly 
on both cheeks said : 

"‘My child, I know all. I heard all you and Charles 
said. My soul is exceedingly sorrowful even unto death. 
Gladly would I lay down this life of mine to right the 
wrong my boy has done you, if that were possible, and 
I could do my duty to my husband and children. Rose, 
dear girl, you have taught me more within the last 
hour, of Christ and true religion than I ever knew be- 
fore. I feel like kneeling at your feet and begging for- 
giveness for my boy. You have been sinned against. 
Oh ! so cruelly, and you have risen up to Christhood sa 


CHRIST OR BARABBAS 


21 


nobly this hour in assuming the guilt and shame of my 
boy — all because you love me and my children. Oh, 
my child, how vain are words to express the grateful 
emotions of my heart. You are becoming a saviour to 
me, my children, my home and my church. A mother's 
love and a mother's blessing will go with you. I heard 
your promise to Charles, my wretched son. I blush in 
your presence for his guilt. I heard you say that for 
my sake you would be silent. And I — guilty sinner 
that I am — have likewise pledged silence on the great 
crime committed — not out of heroic love like yours, 
but from fear and shame. My guilty lips dare not 
speak. God forgive me. Will you forgive me?" 

And Mrs. Havergal fell into a fit of passionate 
weeping and Rose tenderly administered to her, wiping 
the tears from her face and supporting her in her arms, 
and after she had become calm again Rose said to her 
soothingly : 

‘‘My dear friend, do not grieve over me, for I can 
bear the burden laid upon me because I love you and 
your sweet daughters, and love, you know, makes all 
burdens light and all duties joyous. Love suffereth 
long and is kind, beareth all things, never faileth. It 
has the strength of God in it, for God is love, and it 
can wait and trust. I gave my word to Charles, I give 
my pledge to you. My lips are sealed, and no matter 
what happens, for your sake I shall be silent as the 
grave. Somehow I feel that though sorrow and suffer- 
ing are before me that light will yet fall upon my path- 
way." 

Mrs. Havergal again tenderly embraced Rose, and 
after a moment of silence said, “God be merciful to 
me and forgive me and may He be gracious to you and 
lead you out of all trouble and sorrow. Every day, 
morning and night, I shall ask that good angels may 
lead and comfort you." 

She then paid Rose the amount due her and tried 
to press upon her a few additional bills which Rose 


CHRIST OR BARABBAS 


gently but firmly declined. She then directed Rose 
to the home of a poor widow living in a distant part of 
the city as a refuge. An hour later as the shadows 
were falling from the mountains over San Gabriel val- 
ley Rose with her little bundle upon her arm stole 
quietly out of the Manse and down the lane, while 
darker shadows were gathering over her life. 

When the facts concerning Rose Cameron had been 
duly canvassed in the home of Dr. Havergal and among 
intimate friends of the family, it seemed the unani- 
mous opinion that Rose must be dismissed from serv- 
ice in the house. But another question arose more 
difficult of solution and it was this : What steps should 
be taken to clear the family honor and the good name of 
the church from scandal in the event of the facts be- 
coming known and bruited abroad, as it seemed most 
probable they would, and this excited quite a diversity 
of opinion and led to very spirited discussion. 

Mrs. Havergal was unalterably opposed to any 
publicity and had good reason for opposing anything 
in the way of church discipline or any action that would 
increase the pain and suffering already heaped upon 
the innocent girl. After the awful disclosure of her 
son’s crime against innocence she firmly resolved at 
all hazards to shield the girl from unmerited censure 
from the church and the family. She had, however, 
been taught the doctrine of woman’s subjection to the 
superior judgment and authority of the husband and 
accustomed by the habits of years to yield to Dr. Hav- 
ergal’s views on all matters pertaining to the church 
and religion. This made it extremely difficult for her 
to screen the unfortunate victim of her son from fur- 
ther unmerited suffering, as her conscience now dic- 
tated. 

Dr. Havergal was a man of a strict sense of jus- 
tice, by no means devoid of a kindly human sympathy, 
but with an enlarged view of the sacredness of every- 
thing pertaining to the Church and his responsibility as 


CHRIST OR BARABBAS 


pastor for keeping her name and reputation unblem- 
ished before the world. From the habit of a lifetime of 
church service he had come to consider that individual 
welfare and happiness weighed little in the scale against 
church sanctity and reputation. Much, therefore, as 
he desired to favor the views of Mrs. Havergal and 
yield to Mercy’s plea in dealing with Rose, he had to 
consider the honor of the church, the opinions of his 
elders, and the verdict of the religious public generally. 
Unfortunately, too, the report of Rose’s condition had 
become public and the judgment of the religious world 
he knew was especially stem and severe upon women 
offending against the moral code. He had to consider, 
too, the spirit of rivalry existing between the churches 
and how eagerly some of the other denominations 
might use, not only the actual facts in the case, but 
also the enlarged and grossly exaggerated stories that 
always obtain credence with the scandal-loving public. 

In addition to these considerations there were many 
circumstances that seemed to aggravate Rose’s offence 
not only before coming into his home and church, but 
since her coming, and these seemed to him to be es- 
pecially directed against himself and his family. Rose, 
a stranger, had been most kindly received and gen- 
erously treated by his family. She had, in fact, almost 
become a member of his family and in a few months 
had been received into church fellowship. And in re- 
turn for all this she had — it so appeared to him — ^basely 
deceived them. And when questioned kindly by Mrs. 
Havergal had given in some cases evasive and unwill- 
ing replies. In fact, in some of her answers she had 
flatly contradicted herself, asserting at one time pos- 
itively that she was a married woman, and at other 
times refusing to answer, or expressing doubt, and al- 
together relating a seemingly improbable and untruth- 
ful story. Moreover, when questioned by the godly 
ladies of the church she had become exasperated and 
asserted herself a married woman and again had prac- 


2U 


CHRIST OR BARABBAS 


tically denied this and given utterly unbecoming and 
insulting replies to the elect women sent to interview 
her. 

Impressed by these views himself, he was strength- 
ened in them by the opinions of several of his elders, 
particularly John Stone, the attorney, and Elias Sny- 
der, leading men in his Church who, he found, were 
particularly interested in the Rose Cameron case, and 
seemed especially anxious to preserve the purity of the 
church membership and to keep the temple of God 
free from reproach. 

Another little circumstance entered into the case, 
small in itself, yet of sufficient weight to turn the al- 
most evenly balanced scale of his own judgment. An- 
other church of rival organization had been compelled 
to deal with a somewhat similar case during the past 
year and had dealt out the summary penalty of expul- 
sion to a member guilty of a similar offence — that of 
bringing into the world a child without the sanction 
of a marriage certificate and the approvel of those 
who are self-constituted guardians of the public mor- 
ality. 

Dr. Havergal weighed all these arguments pro 
and con, in the quiet of his own study, and after much 
prayer and heart searching, resolved that his duty 
to the church and the world would not allow Rose Cam- 
eron to be quietly dismissed from his home and church, 
but required that she be publicly tried and dealt with 
according to church discipline, as a vindication of the 
church honor and a warning to all offenders against the 
marriage code. 

Two weeks had passed since her departure from 
the Manse and Rose found her scanty store of money 
rapidly dwindling and no source of income available. 
In addition, from sundry hints given by her hostess, 
it was evident that some adverse influence was secretly 
at work poisoning the mind of the widow against her. 
Rose was given plainly to understand that her pres- 


CHRIST OR BARABBAS 


25 


ence would only be tolerated as long as her bills were 
promptly paid. 

From her mother who passed away in her early 
girlhood Rose had inherited a deeply religious nature 
and a trust in an overruling Providence and angelic 
guardianship over mortal lives. She had somewhere 
imbibed the idea that prayer was not only permissable 
to a Supreme Being but also that it was quite approp- 
riate to invoke the aid of our departed friends in time 
of trouble. Accordingly taking her sewing with her 
she had wandered one morning into a little grove on 
the hillside, not far distant from her temporary home, 
which was on one of the foothills of a mountain range, 
and seating herself on a projecting cliff of a rock over 
a musicall little waterfall, had folded her hands and 
engaged in silent earnest prayer for divine and angelic 
help. She finished her petition and was sitting in a 
calm and trustful frame of mind when suddenly from 
a higher cliff almost direcLly above the one on which 
she was resting and farther up the mountain side she 
heard a sonorous and deeply musical voice break the 
solemn silence of the glen, singing these words: 

‘'God moves in a mysterious way 
His wonders to perform ; 

He plants His footsteps on the sea, 

And rides upon the storm. 

Deep in unfathomable mines 
Of never-failing skill. 

He treasures up His wise designs 
And works His sovereign will.” 

Rose sat silent and thoughtful upon the words she 
had heard from the unknown singer and somehow they 
seemed so peculiarly fitted to inspire hope that she could 
hardly resist the impression that they were an answer 
or a prelude to an answer to her prayers. With the 
hearing of these words and especially as she meditated 
on them when the voice died away, there sprang up a 


26 


CHRIST OR BARABBAS 


strong hope within her heart that deliverance was at 
hand. The words had a message for her in her present 
desperate condition and she drank them in eagerly as 
the desert traveler quaffs the cool waters of an oasis, 
for she was in sad need of human aid and sympathy. 

The moments passed quickly as the cherished 
thought of possible deliverance that had impressed it- 
self on her soul, and just as suddenly as the mood had 
come upon her it departed and an awful sense of her 
loneliness and helplessness came over her and she gave 
way to a fit of passionate weeping. So violent was the 
paroxysm of sorrow and anguish that she had not 
heard the approaching footsteps of the singer as he 
slowly clambered down the mountain side until he stood 
before her, and his deep musical voice startled her with 
the enquiry : 

‘Tn trouble, child 

Then she turned and looked upon the face of a 
stalwart man clad in coarse raiment, coatless and hat- 
less, his feet shod in moccasins, his head surrounded 
with a cloud of snow white hair held in place about the 
temples with a wreathe of green leaves interspersed 
with red berries of the mountain ash, his whole person 
glorified for the moment with a shaft of sunlight steal- 
ing through a ravine between the mountain peaks and 
an opening in the leafy covert. 

'Tn trouble, child?'' he asked again before the 
startled Rose could reply. 

'Tes, stranger, I am in deep distress. Led into 
a mock marriage, deserted by my betrayer, cast out of 
the only home I knew by my aunt, homeless and penni- 
less — God knows I am in deep trouble!" 

“Take heart, child, for I am sent to be your saviour. 
I knew my impression was correct. I have been led 
here to help you." 

“But," replied Rose, “you look a poor man your- 
self. And why should you help a stranger?" 

He smiled quietly upon her as he answered : “Have 


CHRIST OR BARABBAS 


27 


you not read: ‘As poor yet making many rich’? It is 
my mission to help people.” 

And she, full of wonder at his kindly words and 
still more gracious manner and spirit which seemed 
to radiate kindness and sympathy upon her, asked: 

“But who are you ? How came you here just when 
I had reached the last dime in my purse, just when 
my heart was breaking ?” 

Then the Stranger, standing in quiet dignity be- 
fore her in the sunlight, responded : 

“I am a Modern Christ. I live and work for human 
uplift. I teach, preach, inspire, heal the sick, comfort 
the sorrowing, utter prophecies and walk in the foot- 
steps of all the Saviours gone before me, especially in 
the footsteps and teachings of my elder brother Jesus, 
the Nazarene. And like all other Christs I am despised 
and rejected by the multitude and known and loved by 
the few.” 

“But how can you help me?” she asked looking in 
some doubt upon his simple garb as a token of poverty. 

“In every way, dear child. I am sent to help you 
to food and shelter, friends, and especially to be your 
teacher. I have great wealth of wisdom given me from 
above. I will teach you my great lessons that will en- 
rich you for both worlds. I will be your defender. You 
shall become rich, rich beyond compare in spiritual 
knowledge, and strong and beautiful in character, in 
Poise and Power, and Spiritual Beauty. Be happy, 
child, and rejoice that all your troubles have led you 
to me. It were worth going through a thousand hells 
of suffering such as you have had, to get the truths 
that I shall give you. I prophecy still more trouble, 
and still darker days ahead of you, but I see the light 
shining beyond for you and out of them you shall come 
forth perfected through suffering, happy and vic- 
torious.” 

Amazed, and in doubt, over his seeming boastful 
words, whether she had met a true and safe counsellor 


28 


CHRIST OR BARABBAS 


or a demented egotist, Rose looked in questioning won- 
der upon him for a moment, and then unaccountably 
moved by some influence which she could neither ex- 
plain or control, she rose, and kneeling before him 
kissed his hand in seeming reverence and said: 

accept you as my Teacher, Guide and Friend. 
I know you have been sent to me. Thank God my 
prayer has been heard.” 

He took her hand and lifting her up said quietly : 
“Child, be of good cheer from this hour. The clouds 
have parted only for a time and will gather deeper and 
darker o'er your pathway. I see furious storms of per- 
secution — even bloodshed and tragedy — before us. But 
your life will be spared, your character will be publicly 
vindicated at the last, at the last. Come, child, let us 
go.” 

As they journeyed back to the city together he 
placed a few bills in her hand and directed her to a hos- 
pital, telling her he would see her no more for several 
weeks but would stand by her in her coming days of 
trial and persecution and furnish her a refuge from the 
storm when it broke in fury on her head. 

At her request, as they journeyed, he told her in 
brief the story of his life. A sailor lad before the mast, 
a soldier in the army, a successful merchant, and then 
in middle-life of the spiritual change that had come 
over him, which he called his Resurrection, and some- 
times he called it the finding of himself, or the rolling 
away of the stone of self that Christ within him might 
arise. He bared the sufferings of his heart to Rose, the 
death of his first wife, an angel in the flesh, and rev- 
erence and devotion to whose memory formed an es- 
sential part of his religion. And then he told of his 
unfortunate second marriage and the persecutions of 
his present wife and a band of conspirators who were 
seeking in every way to defame his character and se- 
cure the balance of his estate. He told in words and 
voice vibrant with soul-agony of the betrayal of his 


CHRIST OR BARABBAS 


29 


daughter and her descent into a life of shame, and of 
his vain search for her during many years through all 
the haunts of vice in Chicago and other cities, and how 
in despair of finding and rescuing her he had given 
many years of unremitting service to Rescue Work 
among the fallen, meeting with both cheering success 
and heart-breaking failure. He went on to relate how 
his present wife, rescued by him, had related to him 
such a story of betrayal as placed the whole responsi- 
bility of her wrong-doing upon another, and by her 
seeming sincerity and penitence had won his heart and 
his hand, and, already secured a major part of his 
property and was now conspiring with the help of an 
attorney and another unprincipled man — both en- 
trenched in the membership and good will of a popular 
church of the city — to rob him of the remnant of his 
once large estate. He told her how his Rescue Work 
had been used by the wife and her partners in the con- 
spiracy to defame his character and thus force him to 
deed over to her his last remaining farm. 

‘'So you see, my child,” he said, “I have had what 
the world calls troubles and persecutions and even now 
my life is sought by reckless men, yet how lightly 
these things rest upon me, judge for yourself. I am 
happier in the loss of these worldly goods, in poverty 
and in persecutions, than most men are in wealth and 
prosperity, because I am rich in knowledge of the 
truth, and those broad clear views of life which enable 
me to see all things working together for good. Like 
St. Paul I can say I have been in “stripes” in “impris- 
onment” in “tumults” in “watchings” and “fastings” 
and have wrought my life-work by “pureness,” by 
“knowledge,” by “long-suffering,” by “kindness,” by 
the “word of truth,” by “the power of God,” by the 
“armor of righteousness,” by “honor and dishonor,” 
and been through “evil report” and “good report,” 
as “deceivers yet true,” as “unknown yet well known,” 
as “sorrowful yet always rejoicing,” as “poor yet mak- 


30 


CHRIST OR BARABBAS 


ing many rich,” as “having nothing” and “yet posses- 
sing all things.” 

“Oh, my child, knowest thou not that with the 
truth you have all things, power, freedom, comfort, 
victory, joy? I am happier far in knowing and teach- 
ing the truth than are the kings of the earth. The 
Captains of industry, heroes of the world's worship, 
the leaders and rulers among men, the millionaires 
and the aristocrats of earth may well envy me, my 
child. Pardon what seems to you boasting. Fare- 
well !” 

And Rose with new courage in her heart and new 
money in her purse went back to her lodgings and 
thence to the hospital where in a few weeks she gave 
birth to a son. 


CHAPTER IV. 


The Church Trial 

On the third of September, nineteen hundred and 
seven, there were gathered in the Audience Hall of the 
School Room of Dr. Havergal's Church a large assem- 
bly, members and friends of the Church, and a motley 
crowd to witness the trial of the case against Rose 
Cameron a church member and a former domestic in 
the pastor's home, accused of immorality and conduct 
unbecoming in a professed Christian. 

Intense interest was taken in the proceedings, for 
the case had become quite notorious and the very ef- 
fort of the pastor and elders to stifle publicity and dis- 
cussion seemed to have had the opposite effect. In 
addition to this there were certain interested parties, 
as appeared later at the murder trial, which, in a sense 
was a sequel of the Church trial, who appeared to have 
reasons for exciting as much as possible the public 
mind against the girl, and particularly against the one 
and only man who openly espoused her cause. 

Most of the attendants, as was natural, were 
either members or friends of the Church, and these 
naturally sided with the pastor and his family, believ- 
ing that the confidence and kindness of the Havergal 
family had been ruthlessly betrayed by the girl. 
These were, therefore, prejudiced in favor of a verdict 
of guilty, and desired it as a vindication of the high 
sense of justice and strict adherence to morality which 
the Church is supposed to represent.. Many came out 
of idle curiosity and a love of the sensational. Others, 
not a few, came in from other churches to scrutinize 
the church action and see if some grounds of public 


32 


CHRIST OR BARABBAS 


condemnation of this large and rival church would not 
be disclosed in the action or lack of action of the church 
authorities. 

The Pastor and the Judicatory of the Church were 
in a preliminary private session in the minister's study 
while the crowd were gradually filling all the available 
capacity of the audience room. When the town clock 
struck the hour of ten, led by Dr. Richard Havergal, 
the members of the court filed solemnly into the room 
and took their seats upon the dais, the Moderator in the 
front and center and the seven other members in a 
semi-circle behind him. 

At the right hand side and near the dais sat Rose 
Cameron, comely in feature, neat in dress and attractive 
in manner and expression, the cynosure of all eyes in 
the court room. Near Rose, and yet on a separate 
seat, but close enough for private consultation, sat our 
stalwart friend, Rose's benefactor and teacher, Paul 
Whitman, in much the same garb as we saw him 
before upon the mountain side, a man of noble coun- 
tenance, serene and cheerful, his manly form, despite 
his simple garb, giving forth suggestions of power, 
peace and dignity. Occasionally he gave a look of pity- 
ing interest to Rose, but there was no communication 
save that of silent thought. 

On the opposite side sat a group of leading ladies 
of the Church and a company of witnesses. There was 
outwardly apparent order and decorum, but everyone 
sensitive to thought forces and emotional excitement 
could feel the very air vibrant with intense interest and 
the most powerful, yet conflicting sentiment. There 
was a sense of something in the air, of suppressed 
power that might any moment find an explosion that 
would shake the quiet audience into a cyclone of ex- 
citement and activity. 

After a fervent prayer. Dr. Havergal as Moder- 
ator arose and said: 

“It is our painful duty to bring before the Court 


CHRIST OR BARABBAS 


33 


for trial a member of my own flock, accused of grossest 
immorality and such conduct as should exclude her 
from the kingdom of grace and glory hereafter, and 
from communion with the Christian Church. Is the 
accused member. Rose Cameron, present? 

The Clerk: “She is present, Mr. Moderator.’’ 

The Moderator (to Rose) : “Do you appear for 
yourself or have you a counsel ?” 

Rose, arising and bowing to the Court: 

“I have chosen Mr. Paul Whitman as my counsel.” 
(Sensation.) 

Paul Whitman : “I appear for the accused.” 

Dr. Truesdale, counsel for the presentation: “I 
object, Mr. Moderator, he is not a member of the 
Church and not qualified to act as counsel.” 

Mr. John Stone, attorney and member of the court : 
“I object. It is clearly unlawful.” 

The Moderator: “State the grounds of your ob- 
jection.” 

Dr. Truesdale: “According to canon law only a 
minister or elder or member of the church is qualified 
to act as counsel in a church trial. Mr. Whitman is 
clearly unqualified.” 

John Stone : “It is unbecoming the dignity of this 
court and the solemnity of this occasion to allow a 
shameless vagabond, a disseminator of rank heresy, a 
man accused of vicious conduct and condemned by pub- 
lic opinion as an immoral and godless man, an associate 
for years of fallen women and degraded characters, a 
man who has squandered his wife’s fortune and left her 
alone and unprotected in the world, to appear as counsel 
in this Court. I object in the name of the public, in 
behalf of decency and order, as well as in point of law.” 
(Sensation. Many signs of approval from members of 
the court and the audience.) 

Paul Whitman, arising: “I am not on trial and 
so make no reply to these accusations. The accused 


CHRIST OR BARABBAS 


SJf 

does not feel able to defend herself. I would have the 
Moderator rule on this point.” 

The Moderator: “There is a canon law limiting 
the right of the accused to right of counsel, but inas- 
much as the accused does not wish to plead, and as the 
Moderator has a discretionary power as to whom he 
shall hear in a church trial, I will grant Mr. Whitman 
the privilege of speaking after the evidence is all in, 
and before the Judiciary retires to deliberate on its ver- 
dict.” 

Many and strange murmurs of dissent were heard 
throughout the court room. John Stone on the dais and 
Elias Snyder and young Havergal in the audience 
seemed particularly vehement in their protect. 

Many exclamations sotto voce could be caught by 
listening ears in various parts of the hall and some of 
them undoubtedly reached the ears of the Moderator. 

“ ’Tis a dour day for the Church !” “Oh, the shame 
of it !” “It is enough to make the angels weep !” were 
some of the exclamations heard. 

Dr. Truesdale: “I plead, Mr. Moderator, for the 
purity of the Church. It is our business to keep the 
temple of Gk)d clean. Whosoever defiles it or allows it 
to be defiled, him will God destroy.” (Many murmurs 
of assent — ^much talking and confusion followed.) 

The Moderator: “Silence! If better order is not 
observed we shall sit with closed doors. It shall never 
be said in charge against this church that a defenseless 
girl shall be tried before this Judiciary without a word 
uttered in her behalf. I have discretionary power and 
shall use it. Mr. Whitman may speak as I have ruled.” 

The Moderator then called for a record in the 
Case of Rose Cameron and the Clerk read as follows : 

“On the twentieth day of July, Nineteen Hundred 
and Seven, at the session of the St. Andrews Church, 
there appeared a delegation from the Ladies’ League 
and the Elect Women of the Church, consisting of Mrs. 
Grace Havergal, Mrs. Ada Varcoe, Mrs. Jane Fuller, 


CHRIST OR BARABBAS 


So 


Mrs. Ryder Brown, Mrs. Susan Snyder, Mrs. Zetta Tot- 
tenham, who called the attention of the Session to the 
fact that Rose Cameron, a member of the Church in full 
standing, and an unmarried woman, was about to be- 
come a mother, and that steps should immediately be 
taken to safeguard the reputation of the Church, either 
by exacting a confession from the accused and elim- 
inating her from our midst or by church trial and dis- 
cipline. The said delegation of Elect Women also re- 
ported that the said Rose Cameron, on being ques- 
tioned by them, did not deny the allegations made, and 
that in pursuance of their duty as Christian women in 
further questioning her, the said Rose Cameron also 
admitted the fact that she was an unmarried woman, 
though to Mrs. Havergal she had previously asserted 
that she was a married woman, and that on being 
further questioned and admonished by these godly 
women she exhibited a most unjustifiable and contuma- 
cious spirit, refusing utterly to answer pertinent ques- 
tions put to her by her superiors, and even asserting 
that the information sought was none of the business 
of the elect women who questioned her. Whereupon 
it was duly moved, seconded and carried by the session 
that formal charges should be preferred against the 
said Rose Cameron which formal charges were filed 
with the session and delivered to the accused on the 
twenty-fifth day of July, Nineteen Hundred Seven, 
by Dr. John Truesdale, duly appointed as Church prose- 
cr.tor by the session and instructed to prosecute these 
charges before the Judicatory. 

CHARLES HAZELDINE, 

Clerk of the Session. 

The formal charge was then read : 

'T charge Rose Cameron, a member of St. An- 
drews Church, with immorality in that she is about 
to become a mother outside of holy wedlock as proven 
by competent witnesses and by her own confession, 
and I ask for a speedy trial of the said offense and her 


36 


CHRIST OR BARABBAS 


expulsion from church fellowship and the holy sacra- 
ments/^ . . JOHN TRUESDALE, 

In behalf of the Session of St. Andrews Church. 

Dr. Truesdale : '‘Mr. Moderator and gentlemen of 
the Judicatory, I propose to prove beyond all question 
the truth of this charge and I doubt not the verdict 
will be a unanimous one and the sentence one that will 
vindicate the honor and purity of St. Andrews Church. 
All question of the truth of the charge is rendered 
entirely useless by the facts that are publicly known 
and proof of which will be shortly presented to the 
court, that the accused has given birth to an illegiti- 
mate child in a hospital of this city. What I would 
have you note, gentlemen, is the fact that the offense 
charged and which was admitted by the accused is very 
seriously aggravated by the base deception practised, 
first upon our minister's family. You can, perhaps, 
imagine better than I can describe how the outraged 
feelings of a godly family have been lacerated by the 
intrusion into their midst, into the innocence and purity 
of the fireside circle, of one guilty of so dreadful an 
offense against human and divine law as Rose Cameron 
has committed. Added to this we have the repeated 
falsehoods uttered by the accused to Mrs. Havergal and 
the Elect Women, which she is unable to deny. And to 
all this add her obstinate refusal to answer the very 
proper questions proposed, and her insulting remarks 
to the godly women who questioned her. I call as wit- 
ness, Mrs. Ada Varcoe." 

Mrs. Varcoe takes the witness stand. 

Dr. Truesdale: "Did you and other women of 
the Church have an interview with Rose Cameron on 
or about July first of this year?" 

Mrs. Varcoe: "We did." 

Dr. Truesdale : Did Miss Cameron admit to you at 
that time her condition?" 

Mrs. Varcoe: "She did." 

Dr. Truesdale: "Did you question her at that 


CHRIST OR BARABBAS 


37 


time as to her past life and with what results?” 

Mrs. Varcoe: ‘'We did question her, but she told 
US little or nothing except that she was married to a 
Prof. Squires of the Boston University. When we 
questioned her particularly about this Prof. Squires, 
she grew sullen and obstinate, and refused to answer 
further questions. 

Dr. Truesdale: “You positively affirm she told 
you she had been married to a Professor Squires, of the 
Boston University ?” 

Mrs. Varcoe : “I ‘do. All the others present heard 
the same statement made by her.” 

Dr. Truesdale : “Have you anything further to say 
about her manner and spirit during the interview ?” 

Mrs. Varcoe: “She answered the first questions 
readily enough, but when we wanted the details, she 
grew obstinate and denied our right to question her. 
She said it was a matter with her own conscience and 
her God and none of our business.” 

Dr. Truesdale : “Do you remember any further in- 
solent remarks of the accused?” 

Mrs. Varcoe: “Yes, she said to me when I asked 
her for her marriage certificate that I might better 
be at home, keeping my children off the street, than 
prying into her private life.” 

Dr. Truesdale then called Mrs. Jane Fuller, Mrs. 
Susan Snyder and Mrs. Zetta Tottenham to the stand, 
who confirmed with some slight variations the main 
points of Mrs. Varcoe's testimony. 

Next he produced a Calendar of the Boston Uni- 
versity for the past year and offered it in evidence 
that there was no Professor Squires recognized in the 
faculty of that institution, and the Court accepted it 
and ordered it filed as Exhibit A. Dr. Truesdale then 
called upon Mrs. Elizabeth Schess, President of the 
Ladies' Sewing Circle, who deposed that in private con- 
versation with Rose Cameron in the Sewing Room at 
the Manse, where she found Miss Cameron in tears. 


38 


CHRIST OR BARABBAS 


the girl confessed to her that she was not a married 
woman. This occurred about July fifteenth. 

Dr. Truesdale: '‘The same statement was made 
to Mrs. Grace Havergal at about the same time. I 
make this statement in the presence of the beloved 
wife of our Moderator, Dr. Havergal, but I refuse to 
submit Mrs. Havergal to the ordeal of public testimony, 
inasmuch as her well-known weakness of heart might 
make such an experience dangerous. I do this the 
more particularly because she has not yet fully recov- 
ered from the painful shock of surprise to her sensitive 
nature in finding one to whom she had extended such 
kindness utterly unworthy of her confidence and guilty 
of most abominable falsehood.^’ 

Here there was a commotion in the circle in which 
the pastor’s wife sat and some restoratives were admin- 
istered to Mrs. Havergal whose strength seemed sud- 
denly to have failed her. 

Mrs. Varcoe, Mrs. Snyder, Mrs. Tottenham and 
Mrs. Fuller were then recalled and questioned by the 
Moderator, and by members of the Judicatory as to 
Rose Cameron’s marriage certificate, and it was clearly 
proven that she professed to have had one, but had 
never exhibited it to the witnesses and on being further 
questioned as to its whereabouts had asserted in one 
instance that it had been lost or stolen (“Oh — Oh — 
Ah!” from some one in the audience) and in other 
instances had told incredible stories of an attorney 
who borrowed it and never returned it, and on still 
another occasion had grown very impertinent and angry 
and told the ladies to attend to their own business 
(“Oh! the saucy minx!” cried some one in the audi- 
ence, while the Moderator rapped loudly for order.) 

The Moderator : “Did she at any time express any 
penitence, or show any great appreciation of the godly 
counsel of her superiors?” 

And the witnesses in turn protested that she had 
never shown penitence for her wrong-doing or received 


CHRIST OR BARABBAS 


39 


with gratitude the efforts of the Church Committees. 

The Moderator: ‘‘Did any of you seek to obtain 
a confession of her guilt and wrong-doing from her 
that she might obtain divine forgiveness and leniency 
from the Church of God?'* 

Mrs. Tottenham : ‘1 repeatedly asked her to con- 
fess and even drew up a confession of her sin for her 
to sign and handed it to her, and she read it and then 
tore it up and threw the fragments in my face. And 
she said if she had to make confession of her sins she 
would confess to her Maker and not to a company of 
busybodies.” 

Dr. Truesdale then presented a copy of certificate 
from Dr. Thomas Brown, an attending physician of a 
city hospital, as to the birth of a son to Rose Cameron 
on August first of the present year. It was accepted 
by the Court in evidence and placed on file as Exhibit B. 

Various questionings of the witnesses then took 
place by members of the Judicatory which elicited noth- 
ing new of very special value or importance in addition 
to the former testimonies. 

The Prosecutor, Dr. Truesdale, then announced 
that no more witnesses would be called and proceeded 
to sum up the points which he claimed had been estab- 
lished beyond all reasonable doubt by the concurrent 
testimony of the witnesses and the confession of the 
accused. He dealt with great particularity and with 
some bitterness on the deception practised on the Min- 
ister's family, on the falsehoods proven as he claimed 
against the accused, and characterized the whole story 
of her marriage as a silly concoction, a pure fabrication 
on Miss Cameron's part to exonerate herself. Lastly 
he commented severely on her impertinence. 

The Moderator: “Does the accused party. Rose 
Cameron, desire any witness called for the defense ?" 

Rose Cameron, rising and bowing to the Court, 
said: “No, Mr. Moderator." 


^0 CHRIST OR BARABBAS 


The Moderator: “It is my duty to inform the ac- 
cused that she is not compelled to testify before the 
Court. It is her privilege, however, to do so if she so 
desires. She can testify in rebuttal of any testimony 
already given, or present any new matter pertinent to 
the charges made. Does Miss Cameron wish to tes- 
tify V 

“I will testify Mr. Moderator.'' (Sensation among 
the members of the Court and in the audience.) 

The Moderator: “I feel it incumbent upon me to 
inform the accused that if she chooses to testify before 
the Court, she thus subjects herself to questioning by 
the Court. Does Miss Cameron still wish to testify?" 

Rose Cameron: “I still wish to testify." 

Miss Cameron then took her place on the witness 
stand and in passing close to Paul Whitman he was 
heard to say: “Courage, child, courage." 

The Moderator: Do you desire to deny any of 
the allegations made by these witnesses?" 

Rose Cameron : “I deny nothing, Mr. Moderator." 

The Moderator: (sharply) “Then you confess to 
the truth of the charges made against you — you are 
guilty of immorality, falsehood, deception ?" 

Rose Cameron: “I confess nothing, Mr. Modera- 
tor." 

The Moderator: “Most strange! Most strange! 
You deny nothing and you confess nothing. Will you 
explain ?" 

Rose Cameron: “The statements attributed to 
me by the witnesses as I remember them are substan- 
tially true. Though they may appear inconsistent, 
they were honestly made. I am innocent of any wrong- 
doing." (“Oh — Oh — Ah!" from some one in the aud- 
ience. “Hear that — will you?" from another.) 

The Moderator: “Are you a married or a single 
w^oman? Answer as before your Maker. Tell us the 
truth." 

Rose Cameron : “T was married and had a certifi- 
cate of marriage. But I now know my marriage was a 


CHRIST OR BARABBAS 


U 

mock marriage and my certificate was taken from me/' 

The Moderator: ‘‘You believed yourself honor- 
ably married for a time — and then were led to doubt 
whether you were legally married or not. Is that true ?" 

Rose Cameron : ‘‘All that is true." 

The Moderator: “Did you not say a moment ago 
that you now know your marriage was a mock mar- 
riage ?" 

Rose Cameron: “I did say so, Mr. Moderator, 
and I repeat it. I now know that my marriage was a 
mock marriage." 

The Moderator: “Did you not tell one of the 
ladies that you were married to a Professor Reginald 
Squires, a teacher in the Boston University? There 
is no such teacher there." 

Rose Cameron: “I did make the assertion as I 
honestly believed it for a time but I now know that 
the man I married was not a Professor Reginald 
Squires." 

The Moderator: “When did you learn all this?" 

Rose Cameron: (hesitatingly) “I only learned it 
lately." 

The Moderator: “Did you learn it by correspond- 
ence — or how did you find it out?" 

There was a long and tense silence. Rose did not 
answer. A painful suspense seemed to be felt by ev- 
eryone. The sympathy of the audience up to this 
point had turned very much in Rose's favor. Her 
beauty, her frank sincerity and her unaffected manner, 
up to this point, were telling in her favor. Now she 
seemed to be losing her way to the hearts of the peo- 
ple, and the average auditor was beginning to won- 
der: What is she hiding and why? Is not her whole 
story a fiction? 

The Moderator: “Do you refuse to answer that 
question ?" 

Rose Cameron: “‘I do." 

The Moderator : “Do you think the man you mar- 


CHRIST OR BARABBAS 


Jf2 

ried as Professor Squires married you under an assumed 
name?'" 

Rose Cameron: ‘1 now know that he did/' 

The Moderator: ^‘You must tell the Court how 
and where you learned that/' 

Rose Cameron: “I cannot tell the Court." 

The Moderator: 'T do not understand your ans- 
wer. Why can you not tell the Court if your former 
statements are true? Why can you not tell?" 

Rose appeared to be in sore distress. She turned 
her gaze from the Moderator and looked upon Paul 
Whitman as though to gather strength. Then for a 
moment she seemed greatly agitated and looking down 
over the audience she caught a view of the pale face 
of Mrs. Havergal, and turning to the Court she said: 
'T cannot tell because love forbids." And she burst 
into a flood of passionate weeping. 

The Court and audience were wrought up by this 
incident to intense excitement and there was much nod- 
ding of heads and whispered conversation and evidently 
great divergence of opinions. Mrs. Havergal sat still 
as a statue with her hand pressed against her heart 
and a pallor like death upon her face. Young Havergal 
at some distance from her and in a company congenial 
to himself seemed very nervous and distraught, mov- 
ing uneasily from one position to another, but listening 
with intense interest to every word uttered. 

A lady stepped forward with a glass of water for 
Rose in her extended hand and a bottle of smelling 
salts and after a few moments' respite Rose resumed 
her testimony. 

The Moderator : “Have you seen or had commun- 
ication with the man who married you since the mar- 
riage?" 

Rose Cameron: “I have." 

The Moderator: “You know now the true name 
of the man you married?" 

Rose Cameron : “I do." 


CHRIST OR BARABBAS 




The Moderator: 'Then give the Court his name 
and address that we may prove or disprove the truth 
of your assertions.” 

Rose made no reply. 

The Moderator: "You say you were deceived into 
a mock marriage by a man calling himself Professor 
Reginald Squires — and that you know that was not his 
true name — and that you now know his true name. 
You must tell it if you wish your story to be credited. 
Give us the name.” 

Rose Caemron : "I cannot, Mr. Moderator.” 

The Moderator : "What nonsense you utter ! You 
know his name and cannot give it. Once more: Will 
you or will you not give us the name of the man who 
betrayed you ?” 

"I will not, Mr. Moderator.” 

Here arose simultaneously two interruptions : 
Charles Algernon Havergal arose hastily and left the 
room and Mrs. Havergal, pale as a spectre arose from 
her seat, with hand pressed against her side, looked in 
a frightened way about the room, as if searching for 
someone or desiring to speak, and swaying for a mo- 
ment, fell in a faint to the floor. 

After order had been restored and Mrs. Havergal 
carried from the room the Moderator again assumed 
the chair and the session continued. 

The Moderator: "I adjure you. Rose Cameron, 
in the name of truth and the presence of your Maker 
to reveal to this Court the name of your betrayer — the 
man you say married you as Professor Squires.” 

Rose Cameron : "And I refuse to do so.” 

The Moderator: "Then the consequences of your 
own stubborness be upon your own head.” 

He then announced that Paul Whitman had per- 
mission to speak in behalf of the accused, and the an- 
nouncement was the signal for an outburst of dissent. 
There were loud cries of "Shame!” "Outrage!” "It 
is a disgrace to the Church !” in various parts of the 


CHRIST OR BARABBAS 


U 

room. It would seem that Rose’s unaccountable refusal 
to gratify the curiosity of the listeners with the name 
coupled with the announcement of Whitman’s name 
had put the audience in an angry mood. 

Paul Whitman arose and calmly proceeded to the 
front of the dais amidst a renewed storm of dissent. 

Paul Whitman: “Mr. Moderator, Gentlemen of 
the Judicatory, and Friends: I speak in behalf of an 
orphan girl who has found this earthly pilgrimage a 
rough and thorny one. I speak in behalf of her arisen 
parents who are witnesses of this prosecution. (Sen- 
sation.) 

“The man is daft !” one was heard to say. “ ’Tis 
rank heresy !” cried another, and the Moderator rapped 
for order. 

“And I speak, therefore, with a sense of great re- 
sponsibility to the quick and the dead, as I plead for 
this wronged and persecuted woman, for her child, 
you call illegitimate. There are those who question if 
such a thing could be. Is not any and every child con- 
ceived and born of love and trust legitimate with Na- 
ture and with God? Certain laws and formulas are 
necessary to public morality, but back of them stand 
Nature’s ordinations and certainly it is only against 
human and not against divine law this girl has sinned — 
even if we admit no marriage took place. She asserts 
she was married or deceived into a belief she was mar- 
ried, and she is, unfortunately, unable to prove that 
such a marriage took place. Is there not at least a 
possibility that she is telling you God’s truth in that 
assertion? If so you are bound to acquit her, as you 
cannot hold her responsible for the deception and 
fraud of another. Have you had — or can you produce 
evidence to prove she never married? Dare you dis- 
grace and ostracise an orphan girl, putting the burden 
of sorrow and shame upon her life on an uncertainty? 

“You say she told falsehoods in that at different 
times she made contradictory statements. Was she 


CHRIST OR BARABBAS 




not justified if a ceremony took place, whether legal 
or illegal, she believing it to be legal, in saying she was 
married ? Was she not justified later if she had learned 
meantime to doubt the legality of her marriage, in de- 
nying her marriage ? What is there impossible or even 
improbable in this girl's story? 

“You accuse her of insolence and obstinacy be- 
cause she refused to answer impertinent questions — 
because, forsooth, your Committee of self-appointed in- 
quisitors of public morality claimed as their right to 
compel a woman to bare the sacred secrets of her heart 
and life to gratify their prurient curiosity. And she 
did right." 

Here an uproar occurred and for a time the voice 
of the speaker could not be heard. Some members of 
the Court left the dais and were seen in consultation 
with people in the audience. Little groups of angry 
men with scowling faces and threatening attitude 
moved up menacingly toward Whitman. Women in the 
audience seemed divided in sentiment, some of them 
plainly approving and others as plainly resenting Whit- 
man's statement. The noise continued for a time de- 
spite the effort of the Moderator. After order had 
been with some difficulty restored and Whitman warned 
against any further attacks on the Church authorities, 
he proceeded. 

“You are fond of speaking about keeping the tem- 
ple of God pure, and that is well. Do you confound 
the temple of God with St. Andrews Church? Do you 
arrogate that high title to one of nearly two hundred 
rival bodies, teaching different creeds, with differing 
codes of morality, all assuming the same claim? Is a 
human organization composed of erring mortals and 
swayed by human passions and blinded by human 
prejudices, the temple of God? Nay, verily. How truly 
did my Brother Saviour, the lowly Nazarene, picture 
your condition when he spoke of the Pharisees of his 
day who made clean the outside of the cup and the plat- 


CHRIST OR BARABBAS 


Jf6 

ter and left the inside unclean ! Truly you have great 
zeal for the honor of the church — so had the Pharisees 
of old. So had the murderers of Jesus, so had the in- 
quisitors of the bloody persecutions. But what about 
the temple and the kingdom of God within? Is there 
not within you — you who thus blasphemously claim 
your church as God's temple and assume to speak and 
act in behalf of God and the all-merciful Jesus — is there 
not great lack of spiritual knowledge, much sectarian 
pride and prejudice, harsh and uncharitable thought, 
and (though you know it not) much of the spirit of 
the persecutors? Is not the modem church, as was 
the church at the times of Jesus, cursed with hypocrites 
in the pulpit and in pew? Are not Whittier's burning 
words of condemnation against the ministers in the 
pulpit who used their position and quoted Scripture to 
defend the 'sum of all villainies,' Slavery, applicable 
now to many churches, possibly to this church, and to 
all who forget the claims of Justice and Mercy and 
seek to exalt their church and themselves in authority 
over the poor and the oppressed : — 

'Paid hypocrites, who turn judgment aside and 
rob the Holy Book, 

Of those high words of truth which search and burn 
in warning and rebuke. 

How long, 0 Lord, how long 

Shall such a priesthood barter truth away. 

And in thy name, for robbery and wrong. 

At thine own altars pray ?' " 

Here several members of the Court arose and vio- 
lently protested to the Moderator against allowing Mr. 
Whitman to proceed. 

Mr. John Stone gained the Moderator's recognition 
amidst the hubbub — Paul Whitman, with folded arms 
waiting calmly — and said : 

"Mr. Moderator, are we compelled longer to listen 


CHRIST OR BARABBAS 


U7 

to this vile outrage against all decency? By courtesy, 
not by right, this man was granted the privilege of ad- 
dressing this Solemn Court. How has he used the favor 
given him? He has become the accuser of the Court. 
He has insulted the Elect Women of our Church. He 
has likened us to bloody persecutors. And who is he? 
In place of speaker he should be upon the witness 
stand.. Probably he could tell us of the mock marriage 
and the name of the father of this girl's illegitimate 
child! I protest most solemnly against the insults he 
has offered the Church and this Court and against the 
rank heresies he has uttered in this presence. This 
pair of vile imposters should be driven from the church 
and out of the city." 

Murmurs of assent followed the violent outburst 
of Mr. Stone, but the Moderator, outwardly calm, but 
as it could be easily discerned, under the stress of great 
emotion, ruled that Mr. Whitman might continue his 
address. 

Paul Whitman: ‘T perceive that you are about 
to condemn an innocent woman and that most of you 
will find forgiveness as your eyes are blinded with sec- 
tiirian prejudice and you are smarting under imaginary 
wrongs and under my plain words of truth. In an 
hour, I prophesy, you will have brought a verdict of 
guilty and this Child-Woman will have been expelled 
as altogether unworthy of membership in St. Andrews 
Church — and yet there is not a purer or more Christ- 
like soul in your midst than Rose Cameron. Oh, what 
blind perversity has impelled the Christian Church 
through the ages to cut off and cast out its most ad- 
vanced minds and its noblest souls. All this can be 
forgiven because ignorance, prejudice, passion and a 
spirit of retaliation are natural to souls in a certain 
stage of human unfoldment. But," he continued, 
'There are in your midst, yea, in the very bosom of your 
Church, two at least who know the innocence of this 
woman. If knowing this, they permit the condemna- 


CHRIST OR BARABBAS 


US 

tion of this innocent girl — they will commit the sin 
spoken of in the Scriptures, 'the sin unto death,’ and 
e re a year has passed will have met the judgment of 
God and have paid the penalty with their lives ! I have 
spoken.” 

This dramatic ending of his address with a 
prophecy of the death of two of the company, produced 
a profound and even painful impression upon all, the 
more so as Whitman, despite his reputedly evil life, 
had a standing reputation with the public as a prophet, 
having delivered several prophecies publicly which were 
afterward literally fulfilled. Upon two of the audience 
the effect was most marked, Mrs. Havergal falling into 
a dead faint was carried from the room and Charles, 
her son, sat with blanched and distorted countenance, 
nervously moving about in his seat and attracting the 
attention of all in his vicinity by his peculiar conduct. 

The Court retired and in half an hour returned with 
the verdict of "Guilty,” and a direction to the Moder- 
ator to pronounce the sentence of Excommunication 
upon Rose Cameron. 

When the Moderator arose to pronounce sentence 
upon the accused, the hubbub and whispering of the re- 
cess soon subsided and a solemn stillness stole o’er the 
Court and audience, a tensity of feeling such as is felt 
by a crowd of people witnessing the execution of a crim- 
inal. 

He said : "It is my painful duty, following the sol- 
emn judgment of my holy brethren of the Judicatory, 
based on undisputed testimony before the Court, to pro- 
nounce Rose Cameron guilty on the charges preferred, 
and to declare that from this hour she is no longer a 
member of St. Andrews Church and her name is strick- 
en from the Church rolls. Let us pray that the divine 
mercy may be extended to her for the grievous wrongs 
done by her to the Church and her sins against public 
morality.” 

The Court was then declared officially closed. 


CHRIST OR BARABBAS 


49 

And Rose Cameron, weeping, walked out of the 
court room on the arms of Walt Whitman, who seemed 
to be her only friend and protector. 

And as they entered the street a crowd of boys 
and hoodlums jeered them and some one cried out: 
‘"There goes the Modern Christ!'" 


CHAPTER V. 


The Riot in the Market Place 

Three weeks had passed since the Church trial — 
weeks of sore anxiety for Rose and deep solicitude for 
her friend, Paul Whitman. He had assured Rose that 
no home would open its doors to her in that locality, 
and that her only refuge was his sylvan retreat on 
the mountain side. He had lived mostly of late beneath 
an overhanging cliff under which bubbled a stream of 
pure cold water, shaded by most beautiful foliage from 
the summer heat and from the heights of which he was 
able to catch a glorious view of the sunrise. From an- 
other cliff westward about a spur of the mountain he 
was able to enjoy the marvelous and variegated glory 
of a California sunset, where the “powerful king of 
day” dips his blazing body into the sea and glorifies 
ten thousand islets in the great aerial sea above, where 
mingling tints of gray and saffron, gold and purple, 
green and crimson blend in indescribable beauty — a rev- 
elation of divine beauty to men and angels. 

Here he had constructed a rude but cozy and com- 
fortable dwelling place for himself, near to Nature's 
heart and far from the madding crowd, with saplings 
and branches of the forest kings for shelter, and with 
the soft boughs of cedar and hemlock and pepper tree 
for a couch. And so with water from the spring and 
wild berries from the mountain side, with the birds and 
the squirrels for his companions, and occasionally 
some simple and wholesome food from the city marts. 
Whitman reigned as king over himself and nature, con- 
tent, healthy, and hopeful and happy. 

The sunrise and sunset were ever new and wonder- 
ful divine revelations to him and he revelled in their 


CHRIST OR BARABBAS 


51 


perennial beauty and the ever-changing aspects of his 
mountain home, and in his visions the adjacent wonder- 
ful valley and snowy mountain peaks on the East, and 
the great Pacific on the West, and the stars were his 
companions and teachers each evening. With his song 
birds and his pet animals and the marvellous San Ga- 
briel Valley checkered with groves of orange, lemon, 
apricot and flowers, and his shelf of choice books at 
hand where Socrates, Emerson, Shakespeare, Whitman 
and Andrew Jackson Davis held friendly companionship 
with the Revised Version of the Bible, Whitman felt 
himself a king. 

Rose while realizing in some measure the great- 
ness and the nobility of Whitman, hesitated long and 
seriously before accepting his mountain retreat and 
thus giving additional cause for slander and gossip to 
the multitude who were already so prejudiced against 
them both. Her resources were at an end and she must 
find shelter for herself and babe and she was perfectly 
willing to accept any honest employment that she could 
find but where to look for it was the problem. She had 
already spent many days in search for work but no 
place had opened to her for service as a domestic, and 
she had no testimonials or recommendations as a wait- 
ress, and she and Whitman spent many hours in at- 
tempts to solve the problem. He while holding the 
opinion of the public in supreme contempt and greatly 
desiring to have Rose for a pupil, was quite willing to 
look at the subject from her womanly standpoint and 
sympathize with what he regarded as a childish weak- 
ness in paying serious attention to the views of the 
rabble. 

It was finally agreed that Rose should wait another 
week and seek an open door of honorable employment, 
and that on the coming market day she should attempt 
to find among the farmers some home where she could 
render service in payment for bed and board for her- 
self and child. Failing this she declared she would ac- 


52 


CHRIST OR BARABBAS 


cept his offer of the mountain side retreat. He had 
prepared to give up his leafy covert to her and the boy 
and build for himself another in a neighboring cliff 
where as friends and neighbors they might commune 
and study the great truths of nature and of life to- 
gether. 

Whitman was the more earnest in his entreaties as 
he had a perfect passion for setting forth his peculiar 
teachings before young and receptive minds. Having 
found Rose an interested auditor and a heart grateful 
for his unceasing charities and comforting words, he 
looked forward with inexpressible pleasure to sharing 
with Rose the beauties of nature, where with the moun- 
tain as a background to the picture, and the star-decked 
heavens as a covering canopy, and the orange groves 
spread out as a land picture beneath his feet he might 
expound to his loving disciple truths — too lofty and 
sublimely beautiful for the stifling atmosphere of a hall 
or church. He believed with his great namesake Walt 
Whitman that all great truths, great deeds and great 
teachings belong of right to the open road and fields and 
particularly to the mountain side. 

Accordingly it was determined that Rose should 
attend the market next market day and that Whitman 
should go also — not in company with her — lest there be 
more “occasion for the infidels to blaspheme’' — but 
keeping near to protect her should she suffer insult or 
injury, which, in the heated state of public sentiment, 
it was agreed, might be among the possibilities of such 
a visit. 

Now it so happened on this day that John Stone, 
whom we have met in the Church trial and whose of- 
fice overlooked the street upon which the Market was 
located, was standing with his friend Elias Snyder at 
his office window, and saw Rose enter the Market and 
interview one after another of the dealers there, and 
shortly after they saw Whitman who seemed an inter- 
ested spectator and who was evidently watching her 


CHRIST OR BARABBAS 


53 


at a distance. They then withdrew to a private office 
where they were soon joined by Mrs. Whitman who 
came escorted by young Havergal. They at once en- 
tered upon an animated discussion of the recent trial 
and the attention of Mrs. Whitman and Havergal was 
drawn to the drama now being enacted in the Market. 

Each one of this little band of conspirators had a 
personal motive for defaming the character and even 
destroying the lives of the two innocent visitors at the 
Market place. 

John Stone, though a member of the Judicatory 
that tried Rose and ejected her from the church fellow- 
ship, was a worldling and a sensualist and was plotting 
the destruction of Whitman as a step necessary to An- 
nette Whitman, the adventuress, who as Whitman's 
second wife had already obtained and spent most of his 
property, and was now conspiring with her consort 
Stone for the remainder of his estate. 

Annette Whitman, former Variety Actress in 
Vaudeville, was once known as the ‘‘Delight of Paris" 
and had had a checkered career as Chorus Girl, as a 
most daring song and dance artist, before she became 
a member of the demi-monde. In one of his missionary 
trips in search of his lost daughter. Whitman met her, 
and she learning that he possessed wealth, resolved to 
win it from him. To him she posed as a captive white 
slave girl, anxious for freedom and sincerely penitent 
for the innocent follies that had led her as a girl into 
associations where she was forcibly detained. She ap- 
pealed to him to save her and listened so attentively 
to his teachings, and by her youth, beauty and chaip 
of person and manner so won his affections that Whit- 
man took her from her surroundings and afterwards 
married her. Too soon he learned his mistake and 
made ample reparation by an early agreement with 
her for a separation, gladly yielding to her the bulk 
of his property. She and Stone had known each other 
earlier in life and to him she came and disclosed her 


CHRIST OR BARABBAS 


5J, 

story and her plot to share with him the additional 
booty of Whitman's one remaining farm if Stone would 
enable her by fair means or foul to secure it. And so 
an unholy compact had been made between them and 
the life of Whitman was at stake. 

As to young Havergal, he was actuated by con- 
flicting emotions of fear and hate. Psychologists as- 
sert that it is easy to learn to hate those we have 
injured and certainly it seemed so in the case of Hav- 
ergal. And it is really wonderful what intensity of 
malevolence may exist in the human heart against an 
imaginary grievance as well as against a real injury. 
Since he first met Rose on his return to the Manse so 
unexpectedly he had cherished a bitter feeling of hatred 
for her as though she had consciously intruded into 
his home to mar and spoil his life. As to his own of- 
fense against Rose he looked upon it, when he gave 
it any consideration whatever, as a bit of boyish folly, 
a mistake, perhaps, but a mistake so common as to 
be easily pardonable. It was, moreover, a mistake very 
common and very easily condoned in what he regarded 
as the best society. By a strang aberration of thought 
he had grown to look upon himself as the persecuted 
individual rather than the persecutor. What diabolic 
spirit of revenge had brought her to the West anyway ? 
And into his very home? What malevolence prompted 
her to reveal all the facts to his family? Even now 
she held the sword of Damocles over his head. What 
machination of evil powers brought his mother into the 
room to overhear that pitiable interview between him 
and Rose? Why had this girl thrown the burden of her 
own folly on his poor mother ? And how much torture 
had this girl inflicted upon him ! He had suffered the 
agonies of hell in the Court Room that hour she was 
on the witness stand boldly asserting she knew who 
was her betrayer and had learned it “of late." Even 
now she spurned his offer of a money settlement and 
held him suspended over ruin. Really for his one little 


CHRIST OR BARABBAS 


55 


act of folly Rose had exacted a bitter toll of suffering 
and had become a most malignant enemy. So Haver- 
gal was bitter in his spirit against Rose, fearful of 
what a single day might bring forth, and fully deter- 
mined that she must leave the community or be dealt 
some blow to ward off the danger to himself and his 
family. 

And while angry at Rose his fiercer indignation 
blazed against Whitman. This was an affair between 
himself and Rose^ — what business had Whitman to in- 
terfere with it? He had never injured Whitman, yet 
this mountebank prophet and professed Christ had 
dared publicly to prophecy his own and his mother's 
death — and had entered the battle on Rose's side. This 
prophecy of death within a year to the two who had 
guilty knowledge of Rose's innocence and were silent, 
had struck deep into Havergal's guilty soul. This man 
had injured him — this man was his enemy — and — well 
— let him beware. There is a limit to one's endurance 
and Whitman, when the occasion arose, should feel the 
power of his blow. This Vababond Seer had begun the 
fight. Let him look out for reprisals. 

As to Elias Snyder, he was a blind henchman to 
Stone, equally selfish, sectarian and devoid of principle, 
ready to employ or join hands with 'Tellows of the 
baser sort" wherever his own interests prompted or 
Stone gave the word of command. 

Stone as a member of the Judicatory had violently 
opposed Whitman's right to speak and had done as 
much as possible to besmirch his reputation. He had 
intimated among his coterie of friends and to certain 
persons whom he knew would give it wide circulation 
that Whitman was in all probability the betrayer of 
Rose, and that this was Rose's reason for refusing to 
'‘name the man." Now Whitman stood in his path. He 
could not obtain Annette's hand or the coveted farm un- 
til Whitman was in his power — or removed. Let Whit- 
man look out for himself, was his silent thought. 


56 


CHRIST OR BARABBAS 


'The Modern Christ is in town,” said Stone to his 
fellow-conspirators on that Market day. "I just saw 
him entering the Market and close to him his very dear 
friend, the Church Martyr, Miss — or shall we say — 
Mrs. Rose Cameron.” 

"They should be tarred and feathered and driven 
out of the city,” said Snyder. "They are a most disrep- 
utable couple.” 

"And yet there are goody goody people in town 
who will believe her story,” said Havergal. 

"The thing could easily be accomplished,” said 
Stone, "by a little adroit management on our part, each 
lending a hand, and with the use of a little money. If 
Paddy and Ted had a few drinks and a few dollars and 
a little information of what was desired, they would 
make it very warm for our good friends over there.” 

"I know my father and all the church people are 
anxious to see respectable society rid of these pests and 
I would put up some money if need be,” said Havergal. 

Stone called Snyder and Havergal aside and whis- 
pered, "Annette is very anxious to see the last of both 
of them for fear old Paul may reveal the facts as to 
their settlement. She does not want it known that the 
old devil, who honestly did pretty well by her, gave her 
most of his property, but wants the general impression 
to go out that he robbed her of her wealth, see? She 
will never feel quite safe so long as he is around here, 
or even above ground.” 

"Well,” said Snyder, who only required a hint from 
Stone to be obedient to his master, having been 
promised a slice of the old man’s property when it 
came to hand, "this is Market day and a good time for a 
little mob riot. If respectable people get incensed over 
the presence of this shameless couple and are tempted 
to violence, who’ll be to blame? They ought to have 
the decency to keep out of sight.” 

Stone had a few moments’ whispered conversation 
with Snyder and said, "Remember our compact. When 


CHRIST OR BARABBAS 


57 


Whitman is out of the way for good and Annette and 
I are married, you’ll get the five hundred dollars I prom- 
ised you. But the goods will only be paid for when 
delivered.” 

Mrs. Whitman sat silent and thoughtful and some 
more whispered conversation took place between the 
three men, after which Havergal handed Snyder some 
money and Snyder went out hastily. Some very pri- 
vate and confidential conversation then took place be- 
tween the three conspirators and after half an hour the 
company broke up and went out one by one in the di- 
rection of the Market. 

Snyder wended his way after leaving the office 
to O’Rourke’s saloon and entered a private confab with 
Paddy Burke and Ted McGuire, and after liberal pota- 
tions of drink, paid them some money, and gave whis- 
pered instructions which were recognized by many nods 
and gesticulations. 

Meantime Rose had entered upon her mission and 
was interviewing various persons in the Market place, 
seeking a home where she might earn a living for her- 
self and her child. 

''Madam” said she to a buxom woman who was 
sitting in her wagon while her farmer husband was ne- 
gotiating sales of his farm produce, "have you any 
work which I could do to win an honest living ?” 

"Well, I dunno,” she replied, "Jake, come over 
here. This woman wants work and you know we need 
some help.” 

Jake: "What’s your name?” 

Rose: "Rose Cameron, sir.” 

Jake : "Married or single ?” 

Rose : "I am single.” 

After Jake and his wife had held a whispered con- 
versation for a few moments, he asked : "What do you 
v^ant a month?” 

Rose: Why, as to that sir. I’ll leave it to you. You 
see I want a home for myself and my child.” 


58 


CHRIST OR BARABBAS 


Jake: *'ls your husband dead?” 

Rose: ‘'You see sir,” said Rose with breaking 
voice, “I never had a real husband. I thought I was 
married but I know now that it was a mock marriage.? 

Then the farmer's wife who had listened atten- 
tively to the conversation answered for both of them 
curtly : 

“Oh, no! We don't associate with any doubtful 
characters. Jake and I are both respectable members 
of the Baptist Church at our Corners. That would 
never do.” 

Next Rose went in succession to six others and re- 
ceived the following replies from — 

Mrs. Kirkpatrick: “I know you very well, Rose 
Cameron, and I know your past history. You have been 
turned out of the Church and for very good reasons. 
We do not want to endorse falsehood and shameless 
conduct.” 

Mrs .Benson: “Oh, no! I have young daughters 
of my own. I simply dare not have your name and his- 
tory brought before them. I must defend the honor of 
the family.” 

Mrs. Ellen Clark: “I am not a hard-hearted wo- 
man and would like to help you. I believe in forgive- 
ness if the sinner is really penitent. But you are too 
haughty and proud and you need humbling. Besides, 
if you were truly penitent you would point out the 
transgressor. You have no right to keep this informa- 
tion from us. If you are so stiff-necked you will have 
to ‘gang your ain gait !' ” 

Mrs. Rachel Weldon : “I have never heard of such 
impudence! Do you think respectable people will tol- 
erate a woman of your character? I was at your trial 
recently and I know the character of the man who 
spoke for you. I hope the city will drive you out.” 

Mrs. Sophia Richards: “I learned all about you 
and the trial from my cousin who attended it. I am 
sorry for you, of course, but you told so many false- 


CHRIST OR BARABBAS 


59 


hoods that one does not know what to believe. Will 
you tell me now who is the father of your child ?” 

Rose: “No. I will not!'^ 

Mrs. Richards: “Then if you are so mighty inde- 
pendent donT come around and ask for employment.’^ 

Mrs. Sylvia Brown: “My poor girl, my heart 
aches for you. I believe you are telling the truth and 
have had harsh and cruel treatment. I would take you 
to my home and heart gladly but my family would never 
consent.” 

By this time Rose was thoroughly disheartened 
and was turning to leave the place when she noticed 
little groups of people gathered around on every side 
talking earnestly and seemingly greatly excited and 
looking ominously toward her and Whitman who, un- 
perceived by her, had kept near at hand. 

“What are you doing here amongst honest and re- 
spectable people?” said a man drawing near her in 
threatening attitude. “This city does not want you 
nor your fellow jail-bird, the noble Prophet, so get 
out !” 

Rose, frightened at his words and attitude, and the 
angry glances of many in the crowd, fled to Whitman 
who, standing silent between her and the man, awaited 
his coming. 

Close beside Rose, too, was a young man, tall, sin- 
ewy and scholastic in appearance who seemed deeply in- 
terested in the proceedings and very much attracted by 
the beauty of her personality, Herman Williams, a 
young attorney, who had just opened an office on the 
opposite side of the street from Stone’s office. 

The man who had frightened Rose, with clenched 
fist and besotted countenance rushed upon Whitman 
and asked : 

“Are you that old renegade, Paul Whitman, com- 
panion of thieves and courtesans?” 

Paul Whitman : “I am Paul Whitman.” 

“Yes,” said the man, “Paul Whitman — ^jail-bird, 


60 


CHRIST OR BARABBAS 


prophet, the Modern Christ, you call yourself, but I 
call you the mock Christ and a real impostor. We are 
going to rid this town of you and Rose Cameron. Just 
two minutes we grant you to leave. Isn't that so, 
boys ?" he cried, and a chorus of shouts was heard from 
various parts of the Market, and a general converging 
of the crowd took place around Whitman and Rose. 

Whitman, lifting his hand, obtained a moment's 
silence in the clamor, and in a calm modulated voice 
said: 

know not why you should be angry with this 
innocent and unfortunate girl, deceived into a false 
marriage and unjustly condemned, while the guilty 
escape — " 

‘‘How dare you say she is innocent when the 
Church Court proved her guilty ?" shouted a voice from 
the rear. 

“Shall we harbor these impostors any longer?" 
asked another voice, and there arose a great clamor in 
which a number of women took part, and a general 
surging of the crowd as if to lay hands upon them, 
while the original assailant shouted in stentorian tones : 

“The time is up! You've had fair warning! If 
you are roughly treated, do not blame me!" 

And Whitman, again raising his hand, said: 
“Friends, I am a man of peace and good will to all. I 
would not fight even in self defense — but, my Maker 
to witness, no one shall molest or harm this orphan 
girl except over my dead body." 

With this young Williams sprang forward and took 
his place beside Whitman, saying, “And I, too, will de- 
fend her with my life!" 

Then the crowd surged forward under the direct- 
ion of their leader, inspired it was readily to be seen 
also by a few men among whom Stone, Havergal and 
Snyder were leading spirits, and the leader made a 
vicious plunge at Whitman and an instant later was 
felled by a blow from Whitman's hand that stretched 


CHRIST OR BARABBAS 


61 


him senseless on the earth. Two others then rushed 
upon Whitman and attacked from different sides and 
suffered in turn the fate of the first assailant. Then, 
there was a combined onslaughter and Whitman was 
seized by a dozen or more, his arms and hands pinioned, 
while a shower of blows was rained upon him, doing 
him little damage owing to the jostling crowd, until a 
blow aimed at his temples fortunately struck him 
farther back than was intended, or his life had paid the 
forfeit. As it was it laid open a gash upon the side of 
the head from which a copious supply of blood soon 
crimsoned his white locks as he sank senseless and help- 
less into the arms of his captors. 

Rose escaped through the brave and adroit aid of 
Williams until the attack had well spent its force, ex- 
cept with a few rents in her clothing and slight 
scratches on her arms. However, as both Whitman 
and Rose were being slowly but surely hustled out of 
the Market and were nearing the street, into which the 
body of Whitman was flung with scant ceremony, 
young Williams who was then behind Rose and between 
her and most of the assailants, suddenly received a 
blow that dazed him for a moment. Recovering, he 
grappled with his assailant, young Havergal, and a 
battle royal took place in which he received a severe 
w^ound upon the cheek which bled profusely, but for 
which his opponent paid dearly a moment later with 
a blow to the jaw which felled him to the ground. 

The crowd now apparently satiated with revenge 
after seeing Whitman's body thrown into the street, 
and Rose ejected from the Market place, most of its 
members went back into the Market to see how it fared 
with Paddy Burk, Ted McGuire and Snyder, all of whom 
had been severely punished by Whitman's sledge-ham- 
mer blows. 

Young Williams and Rose ministered to Whitman 
until he recovered consciousness and after slight at- 
tention to their own wounds helped Whitman to 


62 


CHRIST OR BARABBAS 


Williams’ law office where medical attendance was soon 
summoned. 

After the wounds were dressed and an hour’s rest 
had been enjoyed some time was spent in conversation 
and three souls drew near each other in thought and 
sympathy who were to play leading parts in the drama 
then unfolding in their lives. 

Then Rose and her teacher set out on a lonely 
march to Whitman’s sylvan retreat on the mountain 
side. And as Williams stood looking from his office 
window at the retreating couple and wondering at the 
malice and hatred of the crowd he fully resolved to 
learn the nature of the conspiracy against them and 
espouse the side of the persecuted girl and her teacher. 
He wondered also at the strange new interest that had 
come into his life, inspired by her charming person- 
ality and by the pathetic circumstances surrounding 
her. 


CHAPTER VI. 


Paul’s First Lesson to Rose 

Thus journeying and carrying the child by turns, 
Rose and Paul conversed by the wayside upon the 
strange circumstances that had brought them together 
and upon the mystery of human suffering, which he 
expounded to his pupil in a most instructive and inspir- 
ing manner. 

“Be of good cheer, my Child” he said to her, “in 
as much as you have a conscience void of offence. 
Though compelled to suffer and to incur danger re- 
joice that your life has been spared and because you 
are now about to receive from me teachings that will 
amply compensate you for all sorrows. I really fore- 
saw the failure of your visit to the Market and that 
there was positive danger to myself and to you in such 
a visit. But your desire to avoid the scandal of the 
worldlings was so strong it was better to let you incur 
the danger than to coerce you into a course you could 
not then approve. The wise teachers in both worlds 
are sometimes compelled to allow their pupils to enter 
forbidden paths because certain things must be learned 
by experience. Some day your nature will be so un- 
folded that you will see in advance the pitfalls and 
escape them. So, in a sense the Market experience 
was necessary to you. I did not need it.” 

And resting beneath a group of eucalyptus trees by 
the wayside Paul gave to Rose her first lesson on Human 
Goodness. 

Rose: So they have driven us out. We are — no, I 
am not — worthy to breathe the air with respectable 
people. I feel like repeating words learned in my 


6.lf 


CHRIST OR BARABBAS 


childhood; “Merciful God — have I fallen so low, Yet I 
was once pure as the beautiful snow/' 

Paul : “Gently, ChiJd, gently. Be careful how you 
condemn others, even in thought." 

Rose (sternly) : “ 'Tis true. The women drew 

their skirts in scorn to let me pass. They looked upon 
me as moral contagion. The men scoff or pity me. 
I trusted one of them — that before God was my only 
crime." 

Whitman made no reply but seemed amused. 

Rose: “Laughing, friend Paul, laughing while 
my heart bleeds with wounds your sex has inflicted. 
My soul burns with indignation. I could murder him — 
and those who so cruelly condemned me. How can 
you laugh at me?" 

Paul: “Gently, Child, gently. I was just smiling 
at the great joke they played upon themselves. They 
want a pure city — Simon pure" — free from all reproach 
and full of goodness. And they are driving out the 
two best people in P . . . . How the humorists of the 
skies must enjoy the scene! A purblind, narrow, sec- 
tarian crowd of zealots, self-appointed regulators of 
the world's morality, seeing only the surface of things 
and in their blind enthusiasm for respectability and 
devotion to Mrs. Grundy, driving out with brick bats 
and stones the two saviours of the place. As to your 
indignation and hatred — remember the words of the 
Master: “Forgive them, for they know not what they 
do." 

Rose: “I hardly know whether you are in jest 
or earnest. You speak of me — a disgraced and ruined 
woman — as “good" and even as a saviour." 

Paul: “Oh, Child, I know you cannot understand 
this. But I will teach you my Great Lesson on Human 
Goodness, and you will be rich beyond compare with 
these great and noble thoughts. They will lift you so 
far above the scorn and hate of men, you will look in 
pity on your foes and even pray, as did the Master for 
your betrayer." 


CHRIST OR BARABBAS 


65 


Rose: ^‘But how can you be sincere when you say 
that I am already good — when I feel myself so vile — 
when I spurn myself — and fairly hate myself because 
I am unworthy?'’ 

Paul : “I will teach you, Child, in such a way that 
you will fall in love with yourself daily. Love will find 
new graces, virtues, goodness and beauty within your- 
self each hour. Love will say with dear old Walt Whit- 
man: ‘I am larger, better than I thought. I did not 
know that I held so much goodness!' Oh you will be 
surprised a thousand times to find out how good and 
beautiful you are." 

Rose: “Your words are very sweet to my ears. 
They sound like the music of falling water. They 
charm me like the zephyrs playing Eolian music o'er 
a field of ripening wheat, but, Paul, dear friend, my 
reason is not strong enough to bear the weight you 
put upon it. It is so hard to believe in one's goodness." 

Paul: “Not hard. Child, after you learn to look 
within. Start the habit of looking within and studying 
yourself. Trace back all your acts and motives to the 
spirit which is and must be pure. Physically we are 
of the dust. Mentally we are children of light and 
shadows and do not always see the way, stumbling at 
times along the path, yet all the time learning more 
and more how to walk more perfectly; but spiritually, 
that is in our own essential being, we are one with God, 
and as pure in Spirit as God himself. We must never 
recognize any imperfection in our real selves — though 
there is much imperfection in our lives." 

Rose : “But how about my sins, my guilt, my fail- 
ures to avoid evil? Surely I have imperfections." 

“Doubtless, Child, there are many errors in your 
mind, many failures in your life, many imperfections 
in your character. What of that? These imperfections 
are not of the Spirit itself. I carry on a dark night my 
lantern. If the wick is trimmed and the glass clear the 
light shines out afar. But if the lamp is neglected the 


66 


CHRIST OR BARABBAS 


light becomes dim. The imperfections are not in the 
light itself; there may be scarcity of oil; the glass may 
be much darkened. Tlie imperfection is not in the na- 
ture of the light; it is in the vehicles through which 
the light passes.” 

Rose: “Still I condemn myself and see many im- 
perfections in myself.” 

Paul: “And you are wrong, Child, wrong. See the 
imperfections in your life; see and study and remove 
these. This is a noble task — but the task will be all the 
easier and the sooner ended if you learn to recognize 
the purity and goodness of your real self. You must 
draw a clear line of distinction between the pure foun- 
tain and the noisy, impetuous, destructive and some- 
times muddy rivulet that flows from it. Your light 
shines very clear, now, dear Child, and as you learn my 
wonderful teachings, you will see more and more, how 
good and beautiful you are within.” 

Rose : “It is very sweet teaching, wondrous sweet 
— and it seems all too good to be true. I have had such 
a bad opinion of myself of late. I have condemned my- 
self so harshly and been so impatient with myself.” 

Paul : “Remember this. Child, there is nothing too 
good to be true. Do not be cruel to yourself in thought 
any more than you would be to others. So many good 
but mistaken people are unsparing toward themselves 
yet quite merciful to others. Let us be generous toward 
self, generous with all. Do not condemn yourself — 
though you may have to condemn your life. 

“If you saw a poor little wayside flower struggling 
in hard dry soil to grow and realize its vision of beauty, 
how merciful you would be to it. You would gladly 
give it soil and water and sunshine and kindly thought 
to enable it to express its ideal. Be just as kind to your 
own spirit, dear Child.” 

Rose: “Oh, wonderful teaching! Truly I am 
blest in having you for a friend and teacher.” 

Paul: “Yes, dear Child, you are favored of 


CHRIST OR BARABBAS 


67 


heaven. These teachings will come down on your soul 
like showers on the thirsty earth, like dew on the mown 
grass. They will turn the dry wilderness into an oasis, 
the Sahara into a rose garden, and the desert shall re- 
joice and blossom like a rose.” 

And thus conversing by the way, Paul Whitman 
and Rose Cameron, after three hours of journeying up 
the foothills, reached Paul's mountain-side retreat. And 
so delightful had been the converse on the way — the 
joy of giving truth and the inspiration and gratitude 
in its reception — that neither of them felt fatigued 
with the steady climbing. 

Paul yielded up his sylvan retreat to Rose and her 
child and bade her a welcome to his forest home and 
finally introduced her to Shakespeare, and Plato and 
Walt Whitman and Andrew Jackson Davies, and others, 
companions of his — represented in his bookshelves; 
and then in solemn silence for a moment he commended 
Rose and her child to the guardianship of his angel 
friends. After some simple refreshments from his 
store of supplies, with axe in hand he repaired to a 
neighboring cliff, where he soon made himself a com- 
fortable shelter and a congenial resting place. 


CHAPTER VII. 


The Murder Plot 

After Whitman and Rose left the office of the 
young attorney on the day of the riot, Williams sat 
long in deep meditation upon the stirring events of the 
past few hours. Not since his early boyhood before 
this had he been engaged in a physical encounter. He 
was a man of peace — not without a temper and a very 
powerful one when aroused — but his conduct was gen- 
erally under absolute control of his reason and a fine 
moral sense. Nor had he ever been seriously tempted 
to oppose his fellows by physical strength since he 
reached manhood. Yet here in a few moments he had 
become an active participant in a bloody combat that 
certainly would add nothing to his chances of success in 
his profession. Young Havergal, he learned, had large 
social infiuence and in a sense represented a family and 
a church of great power in the city. He wondered at 
himself and he fully realized that the consequence of 
his action might very well be a serious handicap in 
climbing into public notice and esteem. Yet he knew 
he had espoused the unpopular side, and that among 
those who sought to drive Whitman and Rose from the 
city were some very prominent citizens and church 
leaders. But how, he asked himself a number of times, 
could he possibly have remained silent and inactive, 
when a public attack was made upon a defenceless girl ? 
And what seemed stranger than any other feature of 
the case was this : he found within himself the strong- 
est resolution, seemingly unconsciously formed, to con- 
tinue the struggle in Rose's behalf. All this despite 
the fact that the public evidently believed that both 


CHRIST OR BARABBAS 


69 


Whitman and Rose were a most despicable couple and 
he himself was at present unable to disprove this opin- 
ion to himself — much less to the general public. 

And yet as he recalled the sweet innocence of 
Rose's face and her pitiful appeals against the public 
outrage inflicted upon her, his heart went out to her, 
and he felt if she were as good and innocent as she 
looked, possibly too. Whitman might not be as black 
in character as his enemies had painted him. At any 
rate he resolved to investigate for himself. 

Accordingly a few days later he engaged an auto 
and started on the trail of the two fugitives and jour- 
neying as far as he could by machine he followed the 
mountain path ziz-zagging up the hillside, and was for- 
tunate enough by directions given on the way, to locate 
Whitman's Retreat, a quarter of a mile off the main 
trail and to the right from the three pepper trees by 
the spring. 

He was most gladly welcomed and spent the even- 
ing with Whitman and Rose, and while he did not gain 
the key to the mystery — the name and location of the 
man in the case — he was so deeply impressed with the 
sincerity, honesty and high sense of justice in each of 
his newly-made friends that he regarded his visit as 
most opportune and successful and then and there 
offered his best legal ability to secure if possible a re- 
version of the unjust condemnation of the public, and 
to defend Rose and her benefactor from further possi- 
ble attacks. 

He sought by every artifice to win from Rose and 
Whitman the names of the two parties at the trial 
who had guilty knowledge of her innocence and had 
sat silent, ignobly silent, while they knew she was being 
unjustly condemned. He himself had heard Whitman's 
solemn prophecy of the doom to fall upon the guilty 
souls that conspired by silence in the crucifixion of this 
girl on the cross of public condemnation, and had been 
deeply impressed by the prophecy. 


70 


CHRIST OR BARABBAS 


Rose, however, utterly refused not only to name 
the man whom she married but also to disclose the si- 
lent participators whose cowardly lips refused to tes- 
tify in her behalf. She even declined to give any hint 
or suggestion to aid the young lawyer in his search. 
It seemed evident that Rose had taken a vow or made 
a promise, or felt herself bound in honor, not to dis- 
close, or aid in the slightest degree in the disclosing 
of the names of the guilty parties. Williams felt too, 
rather than knew, that Whitman knew the guilty ones 
— though probably not through Rose's statement but 
from occult sources — and so appealed to him. But 
Whitman justified Rose's silence and commended her 
for it and refused all aid to Williams in his enquiries. 
He got repeated assurances, however, that every word 
uttered by Rose and Whitman at the trial was true, 
and that they both felt quite content to abide for the 
present under the unjust condemnation and both felt 
that ere long there would be a vindication of their in- 
nocence before the world. 

The refusal of aid on their part, however, so far 
from discouraging him in his attempts to unravel the 
mystery, only intensified his determination, and con- 
vinced him that from some true or false sense of honor 
Rose was screening the guilty ones for the sake of 
sparing the suffering of some innocent one. In short, 
he believed that Rose and Whitman were making mar- 
tyrs of themselves to shield others from suffering. This, 
while a disappointment to him, was yet a silent testi- 
mony to the nobility of Rose's character and that of 
her teacher as well. 

All his young life Williams had been peculiarly 
fascinated and drawn toward the solving of knotty 
problems, the solution of things mysterious and the 
detection of criminals in their nefarious designs upon 
society. So he returned next day from the Camp feel- 
ing that his life was somehow interwoven with the mys- 
tery surrounding Rose and Whitman and that he should 


CHRIST OR BARABBAS 


71 


never be contented till he found and brought to punish- 
ment the guilty man who had brought shame, sorrow 
and persecution into the life of this noble girl. 

Much as he was fascinated by problems of this 
kind, fond as he was of the writings of Wilkie Collins, 
Sir Conan Doyle and Anna Catherine Green, he felt that 
he had neither the time nor the ability to assume the 
role of detective himself. Fortunately his mind in 
turning over the problems of the case in his study re- 
verted to one of the most striking characters in the 
whole list of students known to him in his college days. 

He was a mulatto, Richard Webster, familiarly 
called Dick, a strong, versatile character who made a 
phenomenal record in his college course and was re- 
puted to possess powers and characteristics not only 
strange, but seemingly contradictory. Two natures 
as well as two nations, seemed blended in his person- 
ality, and according to which nature was uppermost 
he seemed at times to be saint or devil. In his higher 
nature, which, to do him justice, generally ruled him, 
he was most affable, courteous and a thorough gen- 
tleman, and capable of deeds of most self-sacrificing 
kindness. On the other hand when some wrong done 
to himself or his friends seemed to awaken the lower 
nature in him, he seemed devoid of all restraint, all 
human sympathy, and would pursue the wrong-doer 
most relentlessly and with a certain fierce and wolfish 
sagacity until he brought him to condign punishment 
or personally chastised him without mercy. He had a 
reputation well established at school and was so suc- 
cessful in finding lost articles that many thought him 
possessed of second-sight and some of the more super- 
stitious ones believed him in league with his Satanic 
Majesty. In these lower moods he had the cunning of 
a fox, and woe betide the thief, or the man guilty of 
some wanton cruelty to woman or child, or even to 
bird or beast, upon whose track Webster started with 
unerring scent of the bloodhound. His solution for 


72 


CHRIST OR BARABBAS 


the College faculty of a puzzling case of kleptomania 
that had kept the College in a turmoil for half a year, 
gave him such a reputation in the College town that 
his aid was sought by the police in several criminal 
cases and in those it was said he had the cunning of 
the fox, the secretiveness of the weasel, the courage of 
the lion and the patience of the ox. After his College 
career young Webster for a time was on the police force 
and soon graduated into a private detective, now settled 
in a city of the Golden State. 

Williams at once entered into correspondence with 
Webster but it was only after he made a personal jour- 
ney and appeal to him, relating all the story as far as 
known, that he succeeded in awakening Webster's 
personal interest and inducing him to enter on the 
solution of the conspiracy against Rose and the re- 
dressing of the wrongs inflicted upon her. Williams 
returned much gratifled with Webster's promise to fol- 
low him in less than a fortnight, being fully persuaded 
that if he entered upon the pursuit of the guilty man 
Webster would never relinquish the search until the 
man was brought to fitting punishment. In less than 
a month after the Market Place Riot we find Webster's 
quarters in San Francisco were vacant and a new jani- 
tor had been installed — Mr. James Thompson — as care- 
taker of the Hodgson Building in which Stone had his 
offices, just adjacent to the Market Place and very close 
to Williams' office. The same James Thompson, minus 
a few slight disguises, bore a most striking resem- 
blance to Dick Webster, the College friend of Williams 
the attorney. 

Thompson soon mastered under Williams' private 
coaching the full details of the Market outrage and 
the facts as far as known concerning Rose's history 
and also the details of the Church trial and spent many 
an hour in questioning Williams and joint study with 
him of their mutual problem. He seemed a living inter- 
rogation point in acquiring information from Williams, 


CHRIST OR BARABBAS 


73 


but extremely secretive as far as any opinions or plans 
of his own were concerned. One opinion which Wil- 
liams did elicit from Thompson (as he was now known) 
seemed to Williams a very novel one and it was this: 
that the same parties were concerned in the betrayal 
of Rose in her Church trial and in the persecution 
of Whitman, and that when once the right clue was 
obtained the whole tangled plot would be easily un- 
ravelled. The enemies of Rose and Whitman were the 
same people and when the secret intrigue was uncov- 
ered it would be found that they had common purposes 
and aims in trying to blast the reputation of this couple 
and drive them away from the city . 

As he proceeded in his study of the case, keeping 
a careful watch upon the frequenters of the Stone of- 
fice, the question arose quite naturally in his mind, 
why young Havergal took so lively an interest in the 
case. At first he thought of Havergal with a slight de- 
gree of suspicion as the possible betrayer of Rose, then 
this gradually deepened into almost conviction. Hav- 
ergal had been in Boston during the time of Rose's 
betrayal. He was in the home when Rose was driven 
out. He was in the church during the trial, and his 
conduct there in exciting opposition to Whitman and 
his deep interest in the trial, coupled with his evident 
nervousness during Rose's severe questioning, formed a 
chain of circumstances that deepened the conviction 
in Thompson's mind, that he was, possibly, the guilty 
man. He, too, was a leader in the riot in the Market 
Place. No one of these circumstances alone furnished 
sufficient evidence of his guilt, but combined they gave 
him good reason for making a special study of Haver- 
gafs character and for keeping him under closest su- 
pervision. Human nature is a very complex problem 
as Thompson knew. 

He realized that with the normal young man, all 
the nobler instincts of humanity should incline him to 


CHRIST OR BARABBAS 


7 ^ 

pity an unfortunate girl, a victim of his own selfish- 
ness, and even to defend the weaker and unpopular 
cause. But Thompson was a student of Psychology 
and he knew that men learn to hate those whom they 
have injured, and strange as it may appear, the 
steps of this mental process appear quite easy and 
natural when one comes to consider them. It is an 
easy mental gradation from the inflicting of an injury 
on a fellow mortal to a sense of uneasiness, dread and 
fear of that individual, because the soul seems to in- 
nately sense the fact that vengeance in some way or 
form will proceed from the victim to the aggressor. 
So it is natural to fear those we injure and from fear, 
which causes mental unrest and pain, it is an easy 
step to hate. We come to look upon a victim of our 
own transgressions as an enemy and then by another 
mental step to hate end even to seek to destroy our 
victim to escape his vengeance. We transfer the pain 
and suffering we experienced from wrong-doing to the 
victim, and nurse the mental delusion that he is our 
persecutor and that we have a right in self-defense to 
retaliate. Thompson was sufficient of a philosopher to 
know that had Havergal been the real sinner in 
the case, his conduct toward Rose since his arrival 
home could be accounted for easily and naturally. But 
why did he hate Whitman? 

Simply because Whitman was the defender and 
guardian of Rose and because Whitman was credited 
with occult powers which might in some way be em- 
ployed against himself and, lastly, because he wished 
to fix suspicion of Rose’s character in the public mind 
by her association with a man of low reputation and, 
possibly, induce the public to consider Whitman the 
guilty man in the case. Young Williams had reached 
very much the same conviction as to Havergal before 
Thompson, but very wisely refrained from expressing 
his conclusions to Thompson, preferring to furnish the 
detective with a full array of the facts and leave him 


CHRIST OR BARABBAS 


75 


to cipher out the problem independently. In an inter- 
view Thompson asked many questions as to Havergal 
and Williams readily saw that while very reticent the 
detective was being forced by the circumstances of the 
case to proceed along the same line of thought as him- 
self and hold Havergal in thought as the possible cul- 
prit. 

Thompson was struggling to keep his mind free 
from theory and to proceed with his own investiga- 
tions of the facts, as he had found the following of ap- 
parent clues and theories based on them one of the 
greatest difficulties of his work. He held Stone and 
his friends under closest surveillance for weeks and at 
last was rewarded by hearing from his hiding place 
(a clothes closet adjoining Stone's office from which 
he had deftly removed a small square of the wall, leav- 
ing only a similar square on the office side through 
which conversation was clear and audible) Stone call 
up one day several members of the conspiracy — Snyder, 
Havergal and Mrs. Whitman — for a private conference 
in a private apartment of the Donnelly House. Haver- 
gal was summoned for seven thirty and the others were 
to come promptly at eight the following Thursday eve- 
ning. He was fortunate also to hear the number of 
the private parlor and soon after he went out, and 
calling on the proprietor, asked to inspect some rooms 

for a friend of his who was coming to P to spend 

the winter and from him by methods well known to 
the detective fraternity he secured a room for his 
friend adjoining the parlor in which the conference 
was to be held, hoping thus to make himself acquainted 
with the secrets of the cabal. 

The day before the meeting of the conspirators 
found Thompson located in a room adjoining the parlor 
selected for their meeting, where with a set of tools 
and instruments he had been bold enough to cut through 
the baseboard of his own room an opening into a closet 
belonging to the room of the conspirators. Here he 


76 


CHRIST OR BARABBAS 


had inserted a dictaphone which would report to him 
all loud and clear conversation of the parlor, and if by 
chance the closet door were opened it would repeat to 
him every word spoken. If low tones and whispering 
were indulged in he felt sure that enough would reach 
his ears to enable him to get the general drift of the 
conversation. 

At the hour appointed, Thompson, prone on the 
floor with his ear glued to the instrument, waited with 
breathless interest the arrival of the evening. Stone 
was the first to enter and from his slow walking around 
the room it was evident he was inspecting it carefully. 
He opened the closet door, but so carefully had Thomp- 
son concealed by papers the opening he failed to observe 
it. Stone summoned the hall clerk and made enquiries 
about the two rooms adjoining the parlor. He was told 
that one was vacant and the other had been engaged a 
few days before by a fruit buyer. Stone proceeded to 
the office and was only reassured when he learned this 
man had left town for Los Angeles and would not return 
till the following day. Returning to th6 room he still 
seemed suspicious of the neighboring rooms and it was 
only after he had tried to open the doors of the two 
rooms, and by calling and rapping on adjoining walls 
and finding no response that he settled himself down in 
an easy chair and lit a cigar awaiting his confederates. 

Havergal who arrived soon after and was cordially 
greeted by Stone, asked at once: '‘How about eaves- 
droppers in these adjoining rooms?'’ and seemed thor- 
oughly satisfied with Stone’s answers and pleased with 
the caution and care that had been taken. 

Stone: “You look rather glum, Havergal, and 
rather white about the gills.” 

Havergal: “And I feel a devil of a sight worse 
than I look. These devilish things get on my nerves.” 

Stone: “Stuff and nonsense! Nobody is connect- 
ing you with these happenings. And as for Whitman 
and the girl, neither of them will peep. They are dev- 


CHRIST OR BARABBAS 


77 


ilish conscientious/' said he with a laugh. ‘‘And it's 
a mighty good thing for you they are, my boy." 

Havergal : “I tell you, Stone, I can't sleep nights. 
If she should change her mind and publicly accuse me, 
whether she could prove anything or not, it would ruin 
my whole career, and it would kill my mother!" 

Stone: “You ought to be well satisfied. Every- 
thing has gone in your favor. You have got her out of 
your home. The trial went off all right. They have 
been run out of the city . Nobody stood by them in the 
Market riot but that damn young upstart Williams 
and I'll fix his medicine for him one of these days." 

Havergal: “Yes! But Williams is on her side 
now. Who knows what plotting he will do to rake mat- 
ters up again! I just feel that the sword hangs sus- 
pended above my head. In all the little scrapes I've 
been in I never had so much trouble before. I tell you 
something has got to be done." 

Stone: “That just suits me, Havergal. Yes, 
something has got to be done and done soon to make 
matters safe for you and to secure what I have in view. 
That's what we are here tonight to consider. But, 
slow and sure is a good motto, in any important under- 
taking." 

Havergal : “You don't seem to realize my danger. 
There's no safety so long as either of those wretches 
are in this locality. They must be crot rid of in some 
way.” 

Stone (lowering his voice) : “Have you thought 
of anything?" 

Havergal: “If Whitman could be jailed or any- 
thing should happen to him. Rose would have to go to 
the poor house, or go away at a distance from here 
to find work. They are too close to us. If Whitman 
could be got rid of some way " 

Stone: “I think that Whitman's life will be a 
short one. The three of our friends who were knocked 
out by him in the riot, Burk, McGuire and Snyder, 


78 


CHRIST OR BARABBAS 


have vowed to have his life. In fact if I had not re- 
strained them Whitman would have received his quietus 
ere this. They are ready to quiet Whitman any time 
the plan is ripe.'' 

Havergal: “But why have you restrained them? 
Do we not all want to see him out of our road?" 

Stone : “Yes, these fools would kill Whitman any 
day and be convicted the next day and who knows who 
else would be dragged into the case, or what secrets 
they would give away under a charge of murder? My 
plan is to rid the world of both the vermin at one and 
the same time. If Whitman is killed and Rose pays 
the penalty " 

Havergal, springing to his feet, the remnant of his 
conscience stung into furious resentment by this dia- 
bolical plot, cried out: 

“You damned scoundrel ! You must have got that 
from the devil himself! You would murder Whitman 
and hang Rose — an innocent girl for it ?" 

Stone (laughing) : “Oh, no, you idiot 1 I would 
do nothing contrary to the highest morality. I practice 
the precepts of the Sermon on the Mount. And so do 
you" (sneeringly). 

Havergal sat for a time in silence, his soul tossed 
by conflicting emotions, fear for himself, hatred toward 
Rose whom by mental casuistry he had taught himself 
to regard as a persecutor, dread of the coming future, 
and anger at the cutting irony of Stone's remarks. Af- 
ter a few moments of silence Stone arose and said: 

“Havergal, I'll throw up the entire conference and 
wash my hands of it. You may plan and plot for your- 
self. You get yourself into a devil of a scrape and 
come to me to get you out — and when I propose a des- 
perate cure for a desperate case, you flare up and as- 
sume a lofty morality and are shocked at the idea of 
injuring an innocent girl. Damn you, when did you 
become a saint ? You want something done, and right 
away quick. What is your plan ? If I let you and the 


CHRIST OR BARABBAS 


79 


others plan the relief scheme, you will have your necks 
stretched within a few months! You are responsible 
for Rose's trouble ! Now follow out your lofty morality 
and make a public confession and marry her, have the 
church verdict reversed ! That's one way. If you want 
to save your precious reputation and win a career, the 
sooner Whitman and Rose are out of the way the bet- 
ter. Now, what are you going to do ?" 

Havergal : ‘T wish sometimes I were dead ! I have 
suffered hell the last few months. I must get relief 
or go mad!" 

Stone, seeing Havergal's horror of the proposed 
crime waning, said: ‘'Very well. If you cannot plan 
any relief, I must and will. I am resolved that Whit- 
man must go. He stands in my way and in yours as 
well. You see I don't pose as a saint like you. And 
what is there more dreadful about Rose's being charged 
with Whitman's taking off, which would likely mean 
a term of imprisonment, than her desertion by her 
husband and her public disgrace in being driven from 
home and church as a moral leper? You pose as a 
saint, as a man with a conscience. You cannot conceive 
a more dastardly crime than you have perpetrated on 
Rose. Now make your choice. Sacrifice yourself, your 
parents, your church, your career, and save Rose, or 
sacrifice her and save yourself! This girl deserves to 
suffer. She came here to dog your footsteps. I don't 
believe a word in old Whitman's trash that Providence 
led her to your father's house. You have got to choose. 
Save your reputation, yourself, your future, your fath- 
er and mother,or sink them, one and all, and save her !" 

Havergal (hoarsely) : ‘T see. There is no other 
way, they both must go — out of our way." 

The door opened and Snyder and Mrs. Whitman 
entered. 

Then followed a whispered conversation between 
Stone and Mrs. Whitman which lasted some time, 
and of which Thompson could gather only a little and 


80 


CHRIST OR BARABBAS 


surmise the rest. He heard the words '‘farm” and 
"will” and knew they were discussing Whitman's af- 
fairs. He gained the idea that both feared Whitman 
might in some way transfer his remaining property 
to Rose. 

Then there was for a time a general conversation 
on the riot in the Market Place and on the injuries sus- 
tained by Snyder, Burk and McGuire. They discussed 
the popular opinion of Whitman and Rose and concluded 
that most of the entire public sided with them and re- 
garded the couple with contempt, all, except a few fa- 
natics like Williams and a few others. One point 
troubled them — the voluntary enlistment of this young 
lawyer in the cause of Rose and Whitman, his zeal as 
evinced by his words and conduct. What trouble might 
he not as a "limb of the law” and a zealous partisan of 
their enemies, stir up? The conversation then sub- 
sided into a whispering again and Thompson chafed 
under his inability to catch, and very imperfectly, a 
few words. 

Snyder said but little, but quite sufficient to prove 
his deadly enmity toward Whitman and Thompson 
gained a distinct impression that only the cool caution 
of Stone, the arch-conspirator, in restraining his con- 
federates was preserving the life of Rose's friend. 
Stone evidently feared that zeal without caution and a 
carefully concealed plot would only result in discovery 
and possible ruin to the cabal. 

After a time there was a gathering of the chairs 
in the center of the room and Stone said in measured 
tones : "We all want to see one thing, the community 
rid of these vagrants and permanently rid of them. 
Had I not restrained the indignation of a few of Whit- 
man's enemies he would have been killed before this. 
It may be impossible for me to shield this old impostor 
much longer. If he has to go I hope his end will also 
rid the community and free us from the presence of his 
paramour as well. They stand in the way of decent 


CHRIST OR BARABBAS 


81 


people, and it would be a godsend to this community in 
general and to us four in particular if both of them 
should be permanently removed. I have an idea that 
the girl will tire of the old blatherskite after a time 
and shoot him. In which case, should she be convicted 
the world will be well rid of both of them.^^ 

The company then broke up, save that Mrs. Whit- 
man remained for some ‘'counseF' with Stone about 
their ‘'private affairs” and of which Thompson caught 
but very little. 

Two evenings afterwards Thompson laid the whole 
details of the plot against Whitman's life before Wil- 
liams and it was considered necessary to warn Whitman 
and Rose of the impending danger and so the day fol- 
lowing they went by carriage and on foot to Whitman's 
Retreat. They found them sitting on an overhanging 
cliff on the western side of the mountain watching the 
glories of the sun as he bathed the bosom of the broad 
Pacific with golden light and turned innumerable islets 
of the aerial ocean into resplendent beauty with inde- 
scribable minglings of blue and gray; of saffron and 
gold. 

Rose was surprised and horrified but Whitman 
listened as though the announcement was neither a 
cause for surprise or fear, saying that he had fully ex- 
pected greater violence to follow in the wake of the 
rioting in the Market Place. He also startled them with 
the calm statement that nothing would prolong his own 
life beyond a short period. He declared that in addi- 
tion to the two deaths which he had prophesied to take 
place within a year of the Church trial, his own life 
had been forfeited, since he had sinned the “sin unto 
death'' mentioned in the Scriptures, in that he had re- 
jected the doctrine of non-resistance as taught by the 
Christ of two thousand years ago, after going contrary 
to the monitions of the spirit-world in going to the 
Market Place. He seemed much affected as he spoke 
of his “departure,” not fearing death in the slightest. 


82 


CHRIST OR BARABBAS 


but rather desiring it, but particularly for Rose's sake. 
He wanted to continue his instructions of Rose for 
some time and to remain as her protector until certain 
changes should be brought into her life and her char- 
acter publicly vindicated. He now knew that this was 
impossible. Unless the higher powers should inter- 
vene in her behalf Rose would be left without a teacher, 
and without a protector against the merciless blast of 
persecution. 

For many years he had accepted and vowed fidel- 
ity to the doctrine of non-resistance of evil. He had 
no temptation to depart from that attitude — even in 
the face of physical violence toward himself or even 
death. Yet in the excitement of the Market Place he 
had lost, for a time, that ‘‘inner poise" and absolute 
command of self through his deep sympathy with and 
love for Rose and her child. He had dsecended from 
the higher spiritual plane to that of brute force and so 
the higher powers had resolved he must stand alone 
and unprotected in the next physical attack, which 
meant his sudden taking off. In the justice of this judg- 
ment he fully coincided and the powers of evil should 
thus triumph for a time in his death. 

Williams and Thompson were both deeply affected 
by the solemnity of his words and manner and Rose 
was shedding bitter tears. 

Then they all essayed to remove the dark premoni- 
tion from his mind — ^but vain. 

Standing up in their midst he remained silent for 
a few moments. Then there was a sudden trembling 
of the body and this was followed immediately by a 
sudden transfiguration of face, a golden radiance per- 
ceptible to all, lighting up his countenance like a sudden 
shaft of light upon the landscape as the sun emerges 
from the cloud. After which and while the three were 
watching with intent interest, he spoke as follows : 

“I see the darkening clouds gathering around our 
sylvan retreat. They encompass Rose and her child: 


CHRIST OR BARABBAS 


83 


as well as myself — but they are much darker about my- 
self, even without a ray of light. There is some light 
in the clouds about Rose. I see them break away around 
Rose and her child and she emerges into light most 
beautiful, even glorious. The clouds gathering o^er my 
head grow darker and more forbidding. Hark! It is 
the midnight hour. I hear stealthy steps approaching 
in the forest — the hour of my departure is near — I go 
forth to give my life for the truth I have loved and 
taught.'' 

Suddenly he threw up his hands in seeming horror 
— then lifted them to his forehead — then looking at 
his hands he cried out: 

‘'Blood ! Blood ! My atonement for my sin !" 

“Oh, Paul 1 Paul I Paul I My beloved Teacher," cried 
Rose, throwing herself at his feet and clinging affec- 
tionately to his arms, “do not leave me! I have no 
other friend, no other teacher, no one can take your 
place! I cannot live without you — " and weeping bit- 
terly she still clung to him as he lifted her up and said : 

“Rose, my child, I will not leave you without com- 
fort and protection. I will come to you. This body of 
mine has served its mission. I throw it aside as I do 
an old garment. Lift up your thought to the spiritual. 
I will be nearer to you after my departure than your 
breathing, closer to you than your hands and feet. I 
will watch over you and the little one, and with the co- 
operation of these kind and true friends of yours, your 
life will come out from under the shadows, your char- 
acter will be vindicated, and long years of love, happi- 
ness and usefulness await you here. Be comforted, 
child." 

Then becoming more composed he said to his 
friends in reply to their efforts to remove the premo- 
nition from his mind : “In vain ! In vain ! Good friends, 
you cannot avert what — I see before me! 

'Tis the sunset of life gives me mystical lore 

And the coming events cast their shadows before. 


CHRIST OR BARABBAS 


84 

1 see, however, success in your efforts for Rose and the 
child. Out of the fires of persecution soon to be lit 
about her feet I see her come forth as gold refined in 
the fire, purified, beautiful and even glorified. A long 
and happy life stretches out before her waiting feet.” 

Williams and Thompson returned to the city much 
depressed in spirit over Whitman’s words yet no less 
determined to fight the battle for Rose and her babe 
to the bitter end. 


CHAPTER VIII 


PauFs Secand Lesson to Rose 

It was Christmas eve and Paul invited Rose to 
accompany him a little farther up the mountain side 
to a projecting rock hanging over the declivity below 
which was a favorite spot from which he had often 
feasted his eyes upon the glories of San Gabriel valley. 
The moon was full and riding in silent majesty amidst 
the cloudy islets of the blue empyrean. The heavens 
seemed near and the moon and stars from some peculi- 
arity of the atmosphere seemed larger and to glow with 
unusual splendor. It was one of those nights in which 
all souls sensitive to beauty feel the thrill of Nature's 
loveliness and desire to silently worship the unseen 
power that reveals so much beauty to the eye of man 
and so much more to his soul. After seating them- 
selves upon this lofty perch they sat for some mo- 
ments wrapt in silent admiration. The charm was all 
too great and controlling for the trivialities of common 
speech. At last Paul arising, stretched his hand out 
over Nature's great picture with the mountains for a 
background and the checkered tints of the farm plots 
and orange groves, and villas nestling beneath clamber- 
ing rose vines, all mellowed into silvery beauty by the 
moon's radiance, and said: 

“Ah! Here's a fitting place for my lesson on 
Human Greatness. These mountains with their white 
snow caps, sentinels of God, watching here the slow pro- 
cession of the centuries as they pass — what a back- 
ground for Nature’s divine revelations of beauty be- 
low, and what a pulpit from which to proclaim to mor- 
tals and spirits the doctrine of the dignity, glory and 


86 


CHRIST OR BARABBAS 


infinite possibilities of man. The star-decked face of 
God above us blazing with the fires of innumerable 
suns and systems of worlds, what an audience chamber 
this makes for the greatest and most pregnant truths 
that ever entered the mind of man. And this quiet 
valley bedecked with so many colorings and stretching 
out in its silent beauty with groves of orange, and apri- 
cot and pepper trees, and eucalyptus, and gardens rich 
with perfume, and cozy homes neath climbing roses, 
and way-side seats where lovers sit, and the long brown 
path that Whitman loved and immortalized — surely 
the setting of the picture is complete! Surely angel 
eyes might feast upon a scene like this! 

^^And then a great teacher like me, like a foun- 
tain of living waters overflowing its banks, and a great 
lesson all prepared, ready like a mighty ship for the 
launching, and a growing, expanding soul like you. Rose, 
to listen and drink in the truth, and a vast unseen audi- 
ence of innumerable intelligences out of the surround- 
ing etheric realm, all waiting, eager, hungry to hear. 
Oh, ye Gods above, I envy you not this hour! Truly 
did Walt Whitman say: ‘All heroic deeds are conceived 
in the open air.’ The largest and costliest halls of 
earth, the palaces of kings, are all too small and mean 
for this lesson of mine! 

“ ‘Now I re-examine all philosophies and religions. 

They may prove well in lecture rooms, yet not 
prove at all under the spacious clouds, and 
along the landscape and flowing currents.’ 

‘I am larger, better than I thought; 

I did not know I held so much goodness.’ 

‘I see nothing anywhere but what you can reach 
it and pass it. 

To conceive no time, however distant, but what 
you can reach it and pass it, 

I see no being, not God’s nor any, but you also go 
thither.’ 


CHRIST OR BARABBAS 


87 


‘All religious, all solid things, arts, governments 

fall into niches and corners before the pro- 
cession of souls along the grand roads of the 
universe/ ” 

Rose : ‘‘Here, sit down, dear Paul, and teach as did 
the Master. And as most fitting, let me sit at your feet, 
my blessed Teacher. See, I have woven a little rustic 
crown for your head. Let me crown you as a Modern 
Christ. Tell me, pray, how did you learn of Human 
Greatness ?” 

Paul : “Surely I did not get it from the churches, 
nor very largely from the Gospels, although there are 
many glimpses in the New Testament of this great 
truth, but all marred and robbed of their full import 
by such descriptions of man’s weak and wicked state 
through Adam’s transgression, as robs them of effect. 
Nor did I learn the truth by simple study of human life. 
’Tis true, that history rightly studied and interpreted 
sets it forth. For every genius, poet, prophet or great 
leader among men has shown some indications of the 
unmeasured greatness of the soul and the illimitable 
nature of man’s powers, just as the outcropping rocks 
with specks of gold have indicated the hidden treasure 
beneath. But men misjudge these indications and mis- 
interpret them to their own bewilderment. They think 
and talk of individual greatness rather than the great- 
ness of that nature common to all. They praise the fine 
flowers or fruit on one limb of the tree, rather than the 
tree itself. Quite true it is, men differ in heredity, en- 
vironment and opportunity and the expression of hu- 
man nature in individual lives varies accordingly. Yet 
essentially all men are the same, every one is a child of 
the Infinite! Every man has potentially all the divine 
attributes. Every man is “the repository of infinite 
possibilities.” Men speak of the man of ten talents and 
the man of one talent, as though Nature gave some 
special gifts to one and denied them to others. The fact 
is every man has every talent and the true interpreta- 


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CHRIST OR BARABBAS 


tion of the parable of Jesus refers not to the actual 
endowments of the soul, but to the expression of these 
powers in the life. One man has tenfold opportunity, 
tenfold experience, tenfold better environment and has 
expressed tenfold more of the soul’s powers than an- 
other man. The effect of this false interpretation of 
the Parable of the Talents has been extremely ruinous 
upon the multitude. Men readily assent to the doctrine 
that their neighbor has the ten talents, they have only 
one, therefore, there is but little inspiration to do, dare 
and to win ! The view I hold and teach is full of Optim- 
ism, full of the potent power of suggestion and has the 
dynamic power of a mighty inspiration over the soul 
and life. The fact is that man’s unexpressed and unde- 
veloped power is greater than any manifestation of 
ability ever yet seen in the history of the world. 

“You, my child and pupil, have more music, art, 
eloquence, genius, imagination, inventive power and all 
that men call greatness, lying unexplored, unexpressed, 
within your soul than all the great men of all the past 
ages ever manifested in their lives and works! You 
may claim potentially every attribute of the divine na- 
ture and as there is no end to development, no limit to 
evolution, no stay in the upward and onward flight of 
the soul, no mountains you cannot climb, no knowledge 
you cannot gain, no battle with opposing forces you 
cannot win, you can no more imagine your own great- 
ness or limit your own powers than you can form an 
adequate conception of God. 

“Mostly I learned this great truth by the study 
of myself. When I got acquainted with myself I saw 
that I was unlimited and boundless in my real nature. I 
think of my boyhood home; I am there in a flash. I 
think of the planet Mars and in a fraction of a second I 
have leaped over forty millions of miles of space! Then 
I saw that my body only contained a part of me, and as 
Whitman said : T am not contained between my hat and 
my boots.’ That I extended out yards and yards in 


CHRIST OR BARABBAS 


89 


either way from my body in my auric vibrations, so that 
all sensitive souls could feel my presence, my healing 
powers and my thought forces. I saw that I was grow- 
ing and expanding day by day and radiating greatness 
and my goodness everywhere. I found out that I was a 
sun in the spiritual universe, shining for all and not 
for myself alone. I discovered that where I went 
Health went with me; Hope went with me; Peace went 
with me; Joy and Happiness went with me. I was shar- 
ing my abundant life with others. I did not have to 
speak in order to bless the world, nor work with brain 
and hand to uplift mankind. My very presence did it 
and my presence was becoming more and more, and 
more and more, a sort of universal presence, radiating 
out into great distances and touching men everywhere 
with the power of my thought and healing forces, and 
giving strength and inspiration to men. 

“I saw that I was living for all and in all. Then I 
discovered that I was a Genius — and had all talent, all 
ability — ^mostly unusued and undeveloped within my- 
self. I discovered that all human achievements were 
outcroppings of the greatness, the inexhaustible riches 
of the human soul and indications of larger achieve- 
ments possible to me. I had all of music, art, oratory, 
imagination, all strength, all prophetic instincts and 
powers in myself and I saw what had kept humanity in 
the chains of ignorance and servitude so long — false 
conceptions of human nature, false theories of where 
Health, Success, Happiness and Salvation were to be 
found. And when I began to realize this I re-read hu- 
man history and began to say of all the heroes and 
martyrs, seers, poets, geniuses and men of whom the 
world was not worthy: ‘You only exhibited a fraction 
of my greatness after all. You yourselves could have 
done much greater and nobler deeds. You did not ex- 
haust the fountain, you only tapped it.’ Then I began 
to feel myself greater than all human achievements 
thus far — and I began to talk in this way to men. And 


90 


CHRIST OR BARABBAS 


then it was that men began to call me an Egotist, a 
Fool and a Lunatic.” 

Rose: ''Oh, that was how you got the name and 
people who had never dreamed these great truths 
could not understand you.” 

Paul: "Yes, the world never fully understands its 
great teachers. Jesus had a few fishermen for students 
and could not impart all his lessons because they were 
not intellectually and spiritually unfolded to receive 
them. ‘Ye cannot bear them now!’ Emerson gave his 
greatest lecture to an audience of forty people. So 
why should I complain? 

‘‘This, dear Rose, is the teaching that is to uplift 
mankind. The doctrine of human weakness and de- 
pravity cannot save men, for by its potent power of 
suggestion it cripples human energy, stifles ambition, 
weakens initiative, and tends to produce what it pro- 
fesses to deplore. It has been tried for thousands of 
years in the churches and has proved a dismal failure. 
Men are not helped by hearing how bad or how weak 
they are, but by learning how strong and good they are. 
Suggestion is now recognized as one of the most potent 
factors in life and a soul that receives from others or 
from its own mentality constant suggestions of weak- 
ness becomes by those very suggestions ‘cabined, 
cribbed, confined’ and hindered in the expressions of its 
divine powers. 

‘‘So, my beloved Pupil, always suggest to your- 
self, your own greatness and goodness and throw out 
constantly to others the same thought. Begin now to 
impress upon the babe in the cradle by mental sug- 
gestion his own greatness and goodness. Wise moth- 
ers in this wonderful age are forming the noble char- 
acter of their children by suggestion while they sing 
the lullaby songs. Your child now receives those les- 
sons sub-consciously and in later years he will show 
the beautiful results in his life.” 


CHRIST OR BARABBAS 


91 


Thus, on and on he talked, and Rose asked ques- 
tions and looked up into his face all radiant with the 
great thoughts his lips were uttering and then she 
looked up into the starry maze of innumerable suns and 
systems, and then out upon the peaceful valley of San 
Gabriel, until her poverty and destitution and the bitter 
sufferings and persecutions of the past year melted 
away from her consciousness like the baseless fabric 
of a vision and left not a rack behind. She felt herself 
rich and happy and only the shadow of Paul's early de- 
parture falling over her pathway. She had never been 
so happy or risen into such lofty thought or caught 
so noble a view and inspiration of true living. 

And Paul himself seemed in an ecstasy of joy and 
peace that made him oblivious for a time to all but the 
beauty of his surroundings and the realities of Truth 
and Gk)odness. After a little silence Paul rose and 
said : — 

"I feel that I must recite to the mountains, the 
trees, and the stars, and to the unseen intelligences 
gathered here tonight. Trench’s wonderfully simple 
and wondrously comprehensive and comforting poem, 
called. 


THE KINGDOM OF GOD 

“I say to thee, do thou repeat 
To the first man that thou dost meet 
On lane, highway or open street. 

That he and we, and all men move 
Under a canopy of love. 

As broad as* the blue sky above. 

That doubt and trouble, fear and pain, 
And anguish — all are shadows vain. 
That death itself shall not remain. 

That weary deserts we may tread, 

A dreary labyrinth may thread. 

Through dark ways underground he led. 


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CHRIST OR BARABBAS 


Yet if we will our Guide obey 
The dreariest path, the darkest way, 

Shall open out in heavenly day. 

And we, on divers shores now cast, 

Shall come our perilous voyage past, 

All to our Father’s house at last.’’ 

Then when he had finished and the echoes of his 
musical voice had died away through the hills and val- 
leys he turned to Rose and said : “Dear child, know you 
not this is Christmas eve, the time for celebrating the 
birth of our great Teacher, the beloved Nazarene? Let 
us together sing in this most beautiful and divine tem- 
ple of the mountain peaks, to our own souls and the 
moon and stars and listening angels.'' 

And first they sang Reginald Heber's Christmas 
Carol : 

“Brightest and best of the sons of the morning 
Dawn on our darkness and lend us thine aid; 

Star of the East, the horizon adorning 
Guide wliere our infant Redeemer is laid.’’ 

And then they sang another from Josiah Holland : 

“There’s a song in the air! 

There’s a star in the sky! 

There’s a mother’s deep prayer 
And a baby’s low cry! 

And the star rains its fires while 
the beautiful sing 

For the Manger of Bethlehem cradles 
a King!” 

And Rose's rich well-trained voice joined, blended 
in sweetest melody with Whitman's as they sang 
Mohr's beautiful “Silent Night, Holy Night" and it 
would seem as though each rock and cliff, and peak and 
tree and mountain height and lovely valley, echoed 
and re-echoed these harmonious strains and all the 
earth and sky seemed vocal with the music and glad- 
ness of the hour and one could almost hear the rust- 
ling wings of angelic visitants attracted to this feast 
of the gods. 


CHAPTER IX 


The Tragedy on the Mountain 

A few weeks had passed since the conference of 
the conspirators at the Donnelly House, weeks devoted 
by Stone to perfecting his plan for the removal of Whit- 
man. He felt that the great problem before him was 
not the compassing of Whitman's death, for he had 
only to hint the matter to his willing tools and they 
were ready and eager to follow his suggestions. He 
distrusted their ability to do the job in such a way as 
to escape detection, and if once his confederates were 
convicted who knew what further revelations might 
follow? He studied long and seriously the problem and 
finally became convinced that he himself was the only 
man concerned who had the coolness and judgment to 
carry out this purpose with safety and that a carefully 
arranged alibi must be his protection. While in the 
midst of these cogitations and perfecting his prepa- 
rations a startling incident occurred which for a time 
brought consternation to his confederates and caused 
most serious thought to himself. 

On the same morning he and Havergal and Mrs. 
Whitman each received by mail what we shall call the 
Bible Letter. Each consisted of a small sheet of brown 
wrapping paper, with not a word of writing on it, but 
with the same texts of Scripture, cut from the Bible, 
pasted upon each. There was no signature or address 
on the paper and the only writing connected therewith 
w^as the address in good bold hand on the envelope in 
which the sheet was neatly folded. That evening Mrs. 
Whitman and young Havergal at about the same hour 
called at Stone's office to report the occurrence and each 


9J^ 


CHRIST OR BARABBAS 


was surprised to find that the missive was a common 
one, Stone having received the same. 

Here are the passages : 

“Therefore, as I live, said the Lord God, I A^dll prepare 
thee unto blood, and blood shall pursue thee: since thou hast 
not hated blood, even blood shall pursue thee. 

Though hand join in hand the wicked shall not be un- 
punished. 

Woe unto him that coveteth an evil covetousness to his 
house, that he may set his nest on high, that he may be deliv- 
ered from the power of evil. 

For the stone shall cry out of the waU, and the beam out 
of the timber shall answer it. 

Woe to him tliat buildeth a town with blood and estab- 
lisheth a city by iniquity. 

For tliere is nothing covered that shall not be revealed, 
or hid that it shall not be known. The Lord will bring to light 
the hidden things of darkness. Woe to them that devise in- 
iquity.’ ’ 

Havergal was deeply affected. The ordeal of the 
church trial, the suspense and fear that Rose or his 
mother might suffer a change of mind and reveal the 
truth, the additional wrong he had done Rose and Whit- 
man in the Market riot and the wrongs done to his own 
moral sense, were all affecting his health, robbing him 
of sleep and very rapidly upsetting his nervous system. 
So overwrought was he that he could not restrain the 
nervous action of his hands and feet, or maintain silence 
very long, after he and Annette had shown their let- 
ters and had examined that of Stone. Brought up in a 
sort of superstitious veneration for the Bible and know- 
ing his past guilt and his present active participation 
in a murder plot which he had come, through Stone's 
eloquence, to regard as his only salvation, his conscience 
and his guilty fears were now awakened by these awful 
denunciations of wickedness, and terror seized his soul. 
As he gazed with protruding eyes upon the three Bible 
Letters spread out upon the table around which they 

were sitting he asked hoarsely: '‘What in H are 

we to do now ?" 


CHRIST OR BARABBAS 


95 


Stone: ‘‘Just what we have planned to do. Do 
you think a piece of brown paper should frighten us 
out of a fortune ? Not much, my son !” 

Havergal: “But they know — some one knows — 
Have you read the passages? How did they find out? 
Who sent the letters?” 

Stone: “Oh, I suppose some one does know our 
plan, and they may, possibly, find out who turned the 
trick, but it is entirely another thing to prove it.” 

Havergal: “This suspense is awful. I have lost 
all my nerve. I cannot stand this strain much longer.” 

Stone: “You^ll not have to stand it very much 
longer. There's no success for me nor safety for you 
while he is above ground. I see, however, that I must 
modify the plan. I cannot trust either of the three, 
you know who they are, to do a successful job. The 

d d fools are so hot-headed and revengeful over 

Whitman's jolts in the Market Place, they could not 
keep their heads. No man need be detected if he lays 
out a perfect plan and carries it out perfectly. 

“Then things must be provided for in advance. The 
public will require a criminal, and as the real offender 
is to escape through an indisputable ' alibi, some one 
must take his place, so there must be strong circum- 
stantial evidence to point in another direction. Part 
of this evidence must precede the event itself. The wit- 
nesses must be entirely disinterested parties, strangers 
if possible, to all directly concerned. Then there will 
not be a shadow of suspicion resting on the real actor 
in the event nor a loophole for escape for the one who 
will be accused. 

“Listen to the cant and copy-book morality of these 
passages : ‘Nothing covered that shall not be revealed.' 
It is absolutely untrue. Only fools and children will 
believe that. If that be so why is it that innocent peo- 
ple have been hung and the real culprits never known? 
Quite true that if a man murders from passion and 
loses his head he often may be traced and convicted. 


96 


CHRIST OR BARABBAS 


People without poise and coolness and thoroughly laid 
plans are convicted. But you will see in this case — 
what you will see. Both obstacles must go out of our 
path together, and both must go soon.'' 

Annette sat in silence through the interview, and 
heard, and silently sanctioned the plan of her lover and 
her leader in the criminal pact. Havergal with white 
face and trembling limbs heard and cowered before the 
details of the damnable plot which had been outlined 
all too plainly for his comfort. It would have been far 
easier for him had Stone only dealt in hints and inuen- 
dos, yet his moral sense had already been so outraged 
and strangled by his dastardly treatment of Rose that 
he had not the courage to protest against the awful pro- 
posal of the deliberate murder of Whitman and the 
diabolical suggestions of making Rose the innocent 
victim of another's crime. So he sat spellbound with 
fear and horror, afraid of his guilty past, afraid lest 
Rose or his mother should reveal his secret, afraid also 
to anger Stone lest he follow out his suggestions made 
on the night of the Conspiracy and desert him to work 
out his own salvation from impending ruin. 

Then occurred another surprise for loud rapping 
on the hall door apprised them of an urgent visitor and 
Havergal going out and opening it was confronted by 
a street urchin who thrust a letter into his hands with 
the words: 'Tor Mr. Stone," and vanished quickly in 
the darkness. Havergal reported the fact and laid it on 
the table, and what was the surprise of the trio when 
on being opened by Stone there fell out in full view of 
all a small sheet evidently cut from a book of poems 
as the former extracts were from the Bible. On ex- 
amination it was evidently from the same source 
as the Scripture passages as the hand writing on the 
envelope showed. It was a poem by Theodosia Garri- 
son and entitled. 


CHRIST OR BARABBAS 


97 


STAINS 

Three ghosts on the lonesme road 
Spake each to one another; 

“Whence came that stain upon your mouth 
No lifted hand may cover?” 

“From eating of forbidden fruit, 

Brother, my brother.” 

The three ghosts on the sunless road 
Spake each to one another: 

“Whence comes that red burn on your foot 
No dust or ash can cover?” 

“I stamped a neighbor’s hearth-flame out, 
Brother, my brother.” 

The three ghosts on tlie windless road 
Spake each to one another: 

“Whence comes that blood upon your hand 
No other hand can cover?’’ 

“From breaking of a woman’s heart. 
Brother, my brother.” 

“Yet on the earth clean men we walked. 
Glutton and Thief and Lover; 

White flesh and fair it hid our stains 
That no man might discover.” 

“Naked the soul goes) up to God, 

Brother, my brother.’’ 


Even Annette turned pale as she scanned the lines 
and as for Havergal, his condition seemed pitiable. 
Stone himself was not unmoved, whether more from 
annoyance and anger or from fear it was impossible to 
decide, but evidently felt the necessity of assuming a 
bold front before his less hardened accomplices, tossed 
the paper aside with seeming contempt merely remark- 
ing: ‘'Some arrant fool thinks to frighten us with 
poetry and prophecy. Men of power and will and cour- 
age are not turned aside from their purpose by chaff.'' 

Then followed a few moments of constrained and 
guilty silence in which three souls before the unseen 
witness of human conduct entered into a conspiracy to 


98 


CHRIST OR BARABBAS 


shed innocent blood, to barter the life of a fellow mortal 
for gold, or guilty silence on their own crimes, and the 
record was written down on the walls of the great realm 
of ether on which are recorded all that man ever 
thought or spoke or did, and all that woman ever whis- 
pered. 

The last day of Whitman’s mortal life was spent 
mostly in his own leafy bower, at his little rustic writ- 
ing table and within hand-reach of his favorite authors. 
Here stood the Revised Version of the Bible, well- 
thumbed and with many inserted papers on which in 
bold hand were written notes and comments, and many 
marginal references in ink and pencil on the pages 
attested careful and reverential study. Here were 
found a full edition of Walt Whitman’s works, evidently 
favorites. The Rolfe edition of Shakespeare bearing 
many signs of use kept close companionship with the 
standard '‘Harmonial Philosophy” of Andrew Jackson 
Davis, and of which “Nature’s Divine Revelations” and 
the “Magic Staff” seemed to have been in greatest req- 
uisition. Swedenborg’s works complete, and poetry 
was represented by Homer, Tennyson, Longfellow, 
Whittier and Elizabeth Barrett Browning. 

Strange to say his writings were mostly farewell 
letters to his friends and one full of pathos and tender- 
est affection addressed to his lost daughter “should 
she ever be found.” One was addressed to Annette his 
recreant wife with words of love and forgiveness and 
telling her his great sorrow for the pain she will suffer 
when she discovers how good a man she has lost and 
how base a man she has followed. One was addressed 
to Rose full of pity and tender affection, assuring her 
he will continue his guardian care over her from the 
spirit plane after his “departure” — ^he will not leave 
her comfortless — ^that she shall see him again and her 
heart shall rejoice. One letter in boldest chirography 
was found addressed: 


CHRIST OR BARABBAS 


99 


“To Those Who Plotted my Death.” 

assuring them of his knowledge of the plot and his for- 
giveness of the murderer, though he finds himself pow- 
erless to save him and his accomplices from the conse- 
quences of their bloody deed. 

In the afternoon he climbed the mountain side to 
one of his favorite cliffs and took a long and loving 
look over the broad Pacific and Western sky filled with 
innumerable floating islets all seemingly glorified by 
the burnished splendor of the heavenly world, remind- 
ing him of a favorite poem of his in which he found 
the lines : 

“But sometimes when adown the Western sky 
A fiery sunset lingers. 

The golden gate swings inward noiselessly 
Unlocked by unseen fingers.” 

It seemed that evening to Whitman as though Na- 
ture had summoned her most wonderful and entrancing 
colorings for his own special enjoyment, or as though 
indeed the Gates of that Realm of the Beautiful that 
lie just beyond the boundaries of the mortal vision, 
had been opened by unseen fingers and some of the su- 
pernal beauty of another world had suffused the ocean 
of the water and the ocean of the air. To him it seemed 
the foregleams of a realm toward which he knew he was 
hastening, and which he should enjoy with purer vision 
than he now possessed. 

And then he came slowly down the mountain to 
Rose’s retreat and entering he caressed the babe and 
spoke encouragingly to her, telling her in simple speech 
of his approaching end. He asked her to keep up her 
faith in him and in the angelic watch-care that would 
continue over her life, and he assured her that while 
shadows dark and ominous would gather over her path 
when he was gone, no weapon formed against her would 
prosper. Just beyond these shadows he saw the light 
for her, and better, happier days with friends and 


100 


CHRIST OR BARABBAS 


health and happiness. /'Therefore,” said he, "be of 
good cheer, my child.” 

Rose, however, felt the shadows of coming separa- 
tion resting so deeply upon her soul that she could not 
keep back the tears. She knew his prophetic instinct 
was unerring and the dreaded separation was near. He 
had been to her a father, friend, teacher and guide, and 
now just when she needed him most and just when she 
had learned to appreciate his teachings he was to be 
snatched away by death, and a death, too, of violence ! 
So she sat at his feet her tears falling like rain down 
her cheeks, and looked up appealingly in his face and 
clung to his knees, saying: "Oh, my Friend, my De- 
liverer, my Teacher, how can I spare you out of my 
life! Do not leave me, do not leave me!” 

But he gently laid his hand upon her head and said : 
"It is expedient for you that I go away. Another friend 
is coming into your life, a nearer and a dearer one. He 
will lead you out into liberty and happiness and I shall 
watch over you and the babe. Fear not.” 

Then he kissed her on the forehead and caressed 
the child and repaired slowly to his own retreat. 

❖ ❖ ❖ 

Four days before this two young men called at the 
office of the City Attorney and reported a fierce dispute 
and quarrel they professed to have overheard while 
camping on the mountain side, between a young woman 
with a child in her arms and an aged man with a wealth 
of snow white hair; and from the locality and the de- 
scription given it was evident that Rose and Whitman 
were the persons described, in which there was over- 
heard much dispute over a farm said to have been prom- 
ised by the man to the girl. From the dispute the 
young men had gathered the information that the girl 
had been betrayed and the man was the father of her 
child, and that she was now claiming the reparation 
promised. They reported most violent language on 
the part of the girl, and the threat of taking the old 


CHRIST OR BARABBAS 


101 


man's life. They expressed fears for the old man's 
life and felt that some steps should be taken by the 
city authorities to guard the old man from harm. They 
expressed the conviction that a record of the facts 
should be made and as they were strangers in the im- 
mediate locality left their names and addresses so that 
if further information were required they could be sum- 
moned. A memorandum of the statement was made 
but no further action was taken at the time by the 
attorney or the city police. 

On the night of the tragedy Rose repaired to her 
couch but not to sleep. While she did not know the 
end of Whitman's life was so near at hand she failed 
to get to sleep for some hours and then only to be 
aroused by hearing some conversation near her rustic 
abode, and later on she heard a shout. Some party of 
merrymakers were returning at this Jate hour along 
a winding path not far away from her retreat after a 
dance and entertainment on the heights above, and as 
they came around a little spur of the mountain into view 
Rose threw a wrapper about her and went outside. She 
heard voice's on the opposite side and near to Whit- 
man's retreat which she could not distinguish but 
shortly afterward she heard Whitman saying: 'T am 
coming" and saw him emerge from his dwelling and 
enter the path that led to her own, and then there rang 
out the sharp crack of a rifle and she saw him throw 
up his hands and fall face forward to the ground. She 
then rushed to a little hanger by the entrance to her 
own dwelling to seize the rifle she had there as pro- 
tection to herself against animals or robbers. It was 
gone. 

Then with a cry upon her lips she ran and fell upon 
the prostrate form of her murdered friend. A moment 
later the party of young merry-makers who had heard 
the voices and the shot were around her, and Rose — 
her hands besmeared with the blood of her teacher — 
rose up to face the horrified company. Her own rifle 


102 


CHRIST OR BARABBAS 


lay near her, and as the horror of Whitman's death, 
the excited questioning of the crowd, and the awful 
danger to which she saw herself exposed burst upon her 
bewildered brain she stood swaying for a moment, and 
fainting was caught by one of the party and ministered 
to by others. 

On being restored Rose gave way to bitterest lam- 
entations and grief and related, in broken and incoher- 
ent language, all she knew. 

In consultation among the company it was thought 
best that three of the party should remain and care 
for Rose, and the rest of the company should repair 
at once to the city and report the case to the authorities. 

Whitman was dead, shot through the heart, and 
as the 'scorched clothing showed, shot at close range . 

Next morning the City Attorney issued a warrant 
for the apprehension of Rose who was taken into cus- 
tody and her babe given into the care of the Police Ma- 
tron. 

Among the early visitors next day and before any 
inquest was held, TTiompson was at the two retreats 
and spent some hours in minute investigations of the 
place. 

The city papers headed their reports of the tragedy 
with, ‘‘Murdered by his Paramour'\ 

The reporters soon got hold of the purported quar- 
rel between Whitman and Rose and her threat upon 
his life, and published the same with bold headlines. 
Ihe circumstantial evidence seemed complete as Rose 
was found over the prostrate body, with hands be- 
smeared with blood, and her rifle, lately discharged, 
lying only a few feet away. The public had no doubt 
whatever that Rose had been betrayed by Whitman 
and had murdered him for refusing his farm to her in 
reparation. 


CHAPTER X 


Finding the Clue Through Impression 

Thompson and Williams were prepared in a 
measure for some serious attempts upon the life of 
Whitman by the relentless persecutions to which his 
enemies had subjected him and by the prophetic an- 
nouncement of his own ‘'departure/' Still the sudden 
tragic ending of the “seer" came upon them as a 
shock, and consternation filled their minds when they 
saw that all the attending circumstances pointed 
seemingly with unerring finger at Rose as the mur- 
derer of Whitman. They saw at once that a master 
hand had planned the stroke and a certain diabolic 
cunning had prepared the evidence against this in- 
nocent girl and that, with public condemnation against 
the couple, nothing but clear and startling evidence 
would save Rose from conviction in court. They had 
an awful battle to fight against the public sentiment 
and for a time their hearts almost failed them. '*Yet 
inspired by sympathy for the girl and with an absolute 
conviction of her innocence, both felt there was no 
time for idleness or despondency and so resolved that 
they would do their best and trust for Heaven's aid 
in freeing the innocent and bringing the guilty to 
punishment. 

It was quite evident to them that the desire for 
Whitman's farm was the stake played for by the 
murderer and that the plot embraced the removal of 
Whitman by death and of Rose by conviction on the 
charge of murder, so as to leave the path to plunder 
open and unimpeded. 


104 


CHRIST OR BARABBAS 


When all the attending circumstances were taken 
into account it was quite apparent how strong the 
circumstantial evidence against Rose appeared. 

The sentiment against Rose and Whitman as 
vagrant characters, the religious feeling against Whit- 
man as a sort of religious impostor laying claims to 
spiritual powers which the churches could not recog- 
nize, the woman with a child born out of wedlock and 
now consorting on the mountain-side with a married 
man, reported as having ill-treated and robbed and 
deserted his true wife, the woman expelled from a 
leading church for immoral conduct and basely de- 
ceiving her benefactors, furnished most discouraging 
conditions to be overcome. Then Rose's obstinacy in 
the trial in declaring she knew the real name of her 
betrayer while refusing to give it, added fuel to the 
public condemnation of the girl and, coupled with her 
present mode of living, made her name one of public 
execration and scorn on the lips of the general public 
and particularly of the *'unco guid" people. 

And the facts attending the murder, the finding 
of Rose over the prostrate form of the victim, her rifle 
recently discharged at hand, the absence of any other 
party on the scene or on the trail, combined with the 
attested testimony in the Attorney's office of Rose's 
threat to kill Whitman if he refused her a deed to 
his farm, all made up a mountain of circumstantial 
evidence — yet fitting together like the links of a chain 
— seemingly shutting out all hope of establishing her 
innocence before a court or jury. 

Williams was prostrated by the blow. For a few 
days he scarcely ate or slept. Along with his firm 
belief in the innocence of Rose in her church trial and 
in the legal battle he now saw before her, and his 
chivalrous interest in defending innocence against in- 
jury, the weak against the strong, he was surprised 
to find that the blow hurled against Rose had all the 


CHRIST OR BARABBAS 


lOS 


elements of a personal attack against himself. He 
felt it as a personal attack — the blow came home to 
him in head and heart and staggered him with its 
mighty impact. Hitherto he had accounted for his 
interest in Rose by his love of Right and Justice. 
Now, aside from any principle of equity, he felt that 
Rose was dearer to him and nearer to him than all 
others — that her cause was his cause — and he rose 
up into a sense of heroic personal struggle for victory 
as he would have done against an antagonist who had 
waylaid and feloniously assaulted him. 

Hie had not time at present to enter into the 
psychology of his mental attitude. There was too 
much at stake and duties were too pressing. Reflec- 
tions could come later, and so, stirred as his soul 
never before had been, he summoned all his forces to 
battle against this wily antagonist that he now 
recognized as his personal foe. One of the two must 
go down; it was a battle to the death and Williams 
took a mental oath that with the aid of the Angel of 
Justice he would bring his haughty opponent to defeat 
and to merited punishment and disgrace. 

On Thompson the effect was somewhat different. 
He loved difficult undertakings and the most abstruse 
puzzles. It was only in grappling with these that he 
attained his fullest inspiration and could bring all his 
mental forces into battle. The finest mettle of his 
soul only manifested in his greatest combats. More- 
over he was in possession of evidence that he had not 
yet seen fit to disclose to Williams, and while he saw 
the greatness of the task before him, and realized the 
guile and cunning of his foe, he did not doubt but 
that he should find some vulnerable point in the armor 
of his adversary and wound him in the heel. He 
spent an hour in quiet meditation in his own room 
and then started out upon the war path. In that hour 
in his own room he had transformed himself into 


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Stone's character, mode of thinking and planning and 
had ciphered out as closely as possible just how a 
conscienceless rascal would arrange a crime of this 
nature. He built up a plot and mentally carried it 
through. He had no doubt whatever that Stone was 
the real assassin. The whole of the circumstances 
showed Stone's masterly hand. There had been no 
bungling, no impetuosity and spirit of hasty revenge 
such as would have manifested in some way had 
Stone's accomplice committed the crime. He con- 
cluded that Stone feared the friendship between Whit- 
man and Rose might lead to the transfer of the farm 
to her or to a will in her favor. He concluded that 
Stone must doubt whether a transfer had actually 
been made or a will, or were in contemplation. 
In either case, however, the manufactured testimony 
and the circumstantial evidence could be adroitly 
used in court, as an explanation, or cause or accessory 
of the facts to be disclosed at the trial. If Whitman's 
removal were delayed there was always the possibility 
of an actual transfer to Rose, in which case Annette 
would have to fight a legal, and perhaps a losing, 
battle for her rights. Having satisfied himself that 
he had learned in the main Stone's thought and plan 
of action he next laid out the lines of investigation he 
intended to pursue. He, like Williams, would not be 
satisfied with a drawn battle or any partial victory. 
He vowed he would clear Rose of the murder charge, 
convict the real culprit and establish Rose's veracity 
and honor so foully attacked in the church trial. He 
would not be satisfied even with these results. His 
sword should pierce the armor and the heart of the 
skulking scoundrel who had betrayed Rose and started 
the series of calamities in her young life. Several 
lines of needed investigation opened before him. 

First he must gain information first hand and 
unquestioned about Havergal's College course and 


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107 


conduct. He had a vague suspicion — at times very 
strong — that Havergal himself was the man Rose was 
shielding, and in Rose's affection for Mrs. Havergal 
and her loyal spirit of friendship he saw a possible 
solution of her strange silence on this question. He 
had learned enough of Rose's strength of character 
to know that even to save her life she would not violate 
her sense of justice and truth. He could not prevail 
on her to break her silence, for he felt she was im- 
movable as a rock in purpose on this question. 

There was the possibility, of course, of gaining 
the needed information by a trip to Boston, but this 
would consume much time and money, neither of 
which was available at the time. Williams was a 
young attorney without financial resources and there 
was no large expense possible to either of them. He 
seemed here, as in the case of Rose, to face a stone 
wall when he sought the needed information. 

Then he fortunately remembered that he once 
attended a series of lessons, one of which was on the 
topic : '‘How to yoke the Powers of the Sub-conscious 
Mind into co-operation with the normal mental Forces 
so as to Solve Life's Problems and get out of Life's 
Difficulties." His excellent memory enabled him to 
recall the practical points of the lesson seriatim. 

1. When in difficulty or solving a difficult problem 
get and maintain complete self-possession. Do not 
yield to fear or excitement or allow yourself to be 
driven into hasty action of any kind. Get poise and 
perfect self-control. 

2. Before retiring at night, free the mind of all 
worry thoughts, all discordant emotions, fear, envy, 
suspicion, hatred, and think kindly, justly, lovingly 
of all mankind. Meditate for a time on the wisdom, 
goodness and love displayed in Nature and in human 
life and rest as calmly and as trustfully in the arms 


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of divine protection as the babe rests on its mother's 
bosom. 

3. Then summon the Sub-conscious mind to solve 
the problem upon which your Reason had failed. Roll 
the burden that has oppressed you over on these Sub- 
conscious forces. Command them to take up the 
problem and solve it for you and to report the answer 
by impression to your conscious mind. This is com- 
mitting your burden to the Lord. Do not take up the 
problem again consciously, nor allow any feeling of 
worry to enter your mind. Do not act in any way 
in the case until you get the impression clear and 
distinct as to what you should do. While waiting for 
the solution, cultivate a cheerful optimism and hold 
the thought that the problem will be solved to your 
satisfaction. This is ‘'waiting on the Lord." While 
in this calm and expectant and cheerful attitude of 
mind you may read and adopt as your own John 
Burrough's marvellously beautiful and inspiring poem : 


WAITING 

Serene, I fold my hands and wait. 

Nor care for wind, nor tide, nor sea; 

I rave no more 'gainst time or fate. 

For, lo! my own shall come to me. 

I stay my haste, I make delays. 

For what avails this eager pace? 

I stand amid the eternal ways, 

And what is mine shall know my face. 

Asleep, awake, by night or day. 

The friends I seek are seeking me; 

No wind can drive my bark astray, 

Nor change the tide of destiny. 


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109 


What matter if I stand alone? 

I wait with joy the coming years; 

My heart shall reap where it hath sown, 

And garner up its fruit of tears. 

The waters know their own and draw 

The brook that springs in yonder heights; 

So flows the good with equal law 
Unto the soul of pure delights. 

The stars come nightly to the sky; 

The tidal wave comes to the sea; 

Nor time, nor space, nor deep, nor high^ 

Can keep my own away from me. 

So he resolved to submit his unsolved problem 
regarding Havergal to his Sub-conscious mind and 
await results. He knew he must not attempt to 
hasten the process, — that such solutions by the Sub- 
conscious required a process of incubation and you 
could no more hasten the answer than you could the 
hatching of eggs under the hen. 

Some days afterwards the solution came to 
Thompson in a somewhat singular way. He arose in 
the morning with a deep impression on his mind that 
he must go to Los Angeles and there find the needed 
information about Havergal. It seemed most singular 
10 him that he should be directed to the city of the 
Angels. Had he even known that friends of Havergal 
were to be found there it would not have appeared so 
strange to be thus impressed. Yet he found the im- 
pression clear and strong, that in some way Los 
Angeles held information about Havergal that he 
must attain. A letter or telegram could not have 
made the impression deeper on his mind. 

He had no phenomenal experience in connection 


no 


CHRIST OR BARABBAS 


with this impression; he saw nothing, heard nothing 
unusual, yet here and suddenly had come to him a 
mental call, and he knew he was to go to the City of 
the Angels to find important evidence in the life of 
Havergal. His past experience had taught him the 
value of ‘‘sleeping over'^ the great problems of life 
and heeding the impressions that came to him with 
the morning light, and as this impression had come 
to him in this way he resolved to go and “see what 
would come of it/' 

The following morning he set out like Abraham 
“not knowing whither he went/' He reached Los 
Angeles about 9 o'clock and smiled to himself as he 
thought how difficult it would be for him to explain 
to most mortals the object of his visit and how little 
credit the average man would give him for sanity if 
he should assert the truth that he had journeyed to 
that city “on an impression." 

He sat down for a few minutes in the depot and 
made himself as passive as possible and then sallied 
forth on foot hoping for some Sub-conscious guidance 
of his own mind or some monition from some friendly 
intelligence with which he had come to believe the 
surrounding atmosphere of human life is thronged, 
believing with Longfellow: 

“The Spirit world around this world of sense 
Floats like an atmosphere." 

In some way he felt the riddle of his visit to the 
city would be made plain to him, and the end he sought 
attained, and here he should learn facts about young 
Havergal who was, it seemed, closely interwoven with 
his impressions that had induced the trip. 

He walked for over an hour and was somewhat 
out of the business sections of the city and walking 
along a quiet street of frame houses when his atten- 
tion became fixed upon a small bungalow surrounded 
by a wilderness of fiowering plants and overhung with 


CHRIST OR BARABBAS 


111 


lovely vinery. Without hesitation he approached the 
door and rang the bell. 

“Madam,” said he to a pleasant-faced lady of 50 
who appeared at the door, “I apologize for this intru* 
sion. I am seeking information, and probably you can 
help me.” She invited him in, and when seated, he 
proceeded to ask, “Are you, or any of your people, 
from Boston ?” 

“No,” she answered, “we are from Iowa. Why 
did you think we came from Boston?” 

“I do not know,” he said, “why I thought so, or 
even why I called. I am looking for information about 
occurrences in Boston about a year ago. A woman's 
reputation and, possibly her life, depends upon finding 
it. My impressions led me here.” 

Just then the lady arose hastily and asked to be 
excused for a moment, as both of them had heard 
from a room above a fit of coughing. Hastening up- 
stairs she administered a dose of cordial and a glass 
of water to her sick boarder and, coming down, apol- 
ogized for the interruption of their conversation by 
saying, “I have a sick boarder. You might almost 
say a patient, upstairs. The poor fellow is dying of 
consumption and came here for relief — but I fear he 
came too late.” 

“Is he from Boston?” asked Thompson. 

“No, he hails from New York,” she said. 

Thompson was somewhat puzzled, but more satis- 
fied than ever that somehow he was near a solution 
of the mysteiy. 

“May I speak to this stranger for a moment?” 
asked Thompson as he handed his card to the woman. 
Without hesitation she led him up to the sick room. 

Thompson begged forgiveness for his intrusion 
into a sick-chamber, and then said: “Sir, I am work- 
ing in defence of an innocent woman, betrayed and 
persecuted and now charged with murder. She lived 
in Boston ” 


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CHRIST OR BARABBAS 


He got no farther with his address for the sick 
man, with eyes alight with excitement and face aglow 
with the hectic flush and with deepest interest, 
stretched out his emaciated arms and grasped the 
hands of Thompson and gasped out the question: 

“Rose Cameron?” 

And falling back exhausted, he gave way to a 
spasm of racking cough that was most painful to hear 
and witness. 

On recovering and learning from Thompson that 
Rose Cameron was the woman referred to he cried out 
in a delirium of joy: 

“Thank God! Thank God! You are the man I, 
have been praying to see. I will make what atonement 
I can. I am James Ashton and one of the guilty par- 
ties. Charlie Havergal made a bet — he would marry 
her in a month — it was a bogus marriage — God for- 
give me — I acted as clergyman — and Dick Holbrook as 
witness.” 

After another violent fit of coughing, which left 
him much exhausted, he continued his confession, 
with pauses for rest between each of the sentences. 

“We went back to Rose — a month later — and 
reported that Professor Squires — that was the name 
he took — was dead — and Dick — ^pretended he was 
Squires' lawyer — and got her certificate we had given 
her — to look after Squires' estate — think he has it 

yet . After I heard Rose was turned out — by 

her aunt — and went West — I saw what I had done — 
and I wrote Havergal — but got word — he was out of 

the country . This last month — since I've got 

so bad — I've suffered hell — and Oh, I've prayed — 
every day — for some door to open — that I might make 
good — before — I — died! Will you — take my affidavit? 
And will it — help Rose? Thank God you've come — 
at last!'' 


CHRIST OR BARABBAS 


113 


Thompson hurried out and secured a Notary 
Public, and the following Confession was made out 
and duly signed and attested under oath: 

I, James Ashton, fellow student with Charles 
Algernon Havergal, Richard Holbrook and Thomas 

Fairbanks at the Medical College, Boston, 

in the year 1906, being now on my death-bed and 
sincerely penitent for the part I took in the shameful 
deception and betrayal of Rose Cameron, and desirous 
of finding the Mercy of God and the forgiveness of 
those I injured, do make oath and say: 

I was present with the above named students in 
the private parlor of the Hotel Astoria in Boston in 
the fall of 1906 when all of us were more or less under 
the influence of intoxicants, when a bet was made 
between Thomas Fairbanks and Charles Havergal that 
Havergal would, within two weeks take Rose Cameron, 
a waitress in the Italian Restaurant, out to dinner and 
within one month would marry her. I and Holbrook 
assisted in the mock marriage and I acted as clergy- 
man. Holbrook and I afterward secured under lies 
and deception the Certificate of Marriage given to 
Rose Cameron, and I believe Holbrook has it yet in 
his possession. 

JAMES ASHTON. 

Then followed the attestation and seal of the 
Notary Public in due form. 

Thompson returned on the afternoon train, hav- 
ing secured from Ashton the address of Richard 
Holbrook in Albany, New York, and immediately wrote 
a lengthy account of the whole affair to the Police 
Headquarters in that city, asking them to secure a 
Confession and the Certificate from Holbrook with 
the shortest possible delay. 

He reported ''progress'' to Williams, but deter- 
mined to keep the Ashton Confession a secret till a 
late stage of the trial as an overwhelming surprise to 


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CHRIST OR BARABBAS 


Judge and Jury and all spectators. Even his friend 
Williams must suffer a little longer the anxiety that 
preyed upon him as a nightmare, that the surprise of 
this document in the Court Room might prove more 
general and dramatic. 

In less than two weeks he received the Confession 
of Holbrook, accompanied by the bogus Marriage 
Certificate. Holbrook had been appalled by Rose's 
sufferings and especially by her peril, and much moved 
by Ashton's Confession, a copy of which had been 
shown him, and frightened by the threat of prosecu- 
tion by the authorities for his criminal part in Rose's 
betrayal, had broken down and confessed his guilt and 
promised all the assistance in his power to right the 
wrongs she had sustained. 

In receiving and filing the Holbrook Confession 
and the Certificate in the same drawer with Ashton's, 
Thompson soliloquized: 

“There, Mr. Havergal, we have you under lock 
and key. Your career has already ended in disgrace. 
The 'hidden things of dishonesty' have been 'brought 
to light.' So shall your leader in criminality — the 
murderer of Whitman — who now feels so secure from 
discovery, be brought down to the dust and reap the 
due reward of his bloody deed." 

Then he opened another drawer, and from it he 
took out a leather purse and, taking out from it a 
gpyish white button attached by a thread to a small 
piece of checkered cloth torn from some garment, 
probably a coat, and with the cloth was a small shred 
of lining. These he contemplated with interest for 
a time, and seemed to fairly revel in delight over their 
possession. Then he soliloquized again and said: 

''And now, Mr. Stone, if I can find the driver of 
the auto and the discarded suit of clothing, there is 
enough strength in this tiny shred of cloth to hang 
you as Whitman's murderer. I must find him, and 


CHRIST OR BARABBAS 


IIS 


I must find the suit — unless you buried it — and then 
we shall be ready for the legal battle.” 

This button and shred of cloth he had extracted 
secretly from between the second and third fingers 
of Whitman's right hand on the morning after the 
murder. His theory was that the murderer on the 
narrow path between the two retreats in which Rose 
and Whitman dwelt, had approached so near to Whit- 
man — ^probably in order to make sure of his victim 
in the shady obscurity — he being forced by the nar- 
rowness of the path to make his escape in the direc- 
tion of Whitman's cottage, had come into actual 
contact with his victim as he was falling and that 
unconsciously Whitman's hand in reaching out for 
support had caught between his fingers the buttons 
of his assailant's coat, and in his fall had rent it from 
its place with a small segment of the coat and lining. 
This, at least, was the moving picture which Thomp- 
son's imagination had painted as a reproduction of 
the murder scene. 

Meantime Williams was not idle. He had frequent 
visits with Rose in prison, and with each visit his 
personal interest in the case increased. He was 
charmed with her manner and greatly admired the 
courage with which she faced the perilous position 
into which she had been thrown. Indeed, so buoyant 
and confident was her spirit that Williams, who went 
with the intention of comforting a heart-broken and 
possibly a hopeless woman, found that she was a 
fountain of inspiration and courage to himself. How 
much of this she owed to the lofty teachings of Whit- 
man, and how much to some hints from Thompson 
secretly conveyed to her, we leave the readers to 
imagine. 

Whitman had taught her that no one can injure 
us but ourselves — that all things work together for 
good — that out of every material difficulty the soul 


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has inherent power to rise and a pledge of victory 
in all conflicts — and, moreover, he had warned her of 
these coming dark days, but had also bid her rejoice 
for brighter days were just ahead of these with love, 
friendship and happiness. These promises and proph- 
ecies had become more deeply impressed upon her 
since Whitman's transition and caused her to radiate 
the strong hope within her soul upon all who came 
into contact with her. The prison officials noted her 
lofty courage and declared they had never before seen 
a woman under so serious a charge and with such an 
array of strong evidence against her, so full of courage 
and hope. And so Williams became enamored of her 
philosophy, and most of his interviews were spent in 
discussing Whitman and his teachings, rather than 
knotty points of law or any special method of upset- 
ting the strong circumstantial evidence that he knew 
had been manufactured for her conviction. So he 
derived courage and hope from interviews with Rose 
and also from Thompson, who, though very reticent, 
Williams could see was satisfied with the progress of 
his work. He extracted a promise from Rose that 
when she was freed from the serious charges against 
her she would teach him Whitman's lofty lessons that 
had apparently lifted her above fear in this great 
crisis of her life. Rose the more readily assented to 
this since Whitman had taught her the obligation of 
giving out all truth to those whose minds are fitted 
to receive and profit by it. 

Williams had left the work of investigation 
largely to Thompson, assured as he was of his great 
ability, and when alone sometimes grew despondent 
as he saw from police investigations that fact after 
fact was being added to the incriminating circum- 
stantial evidence against Rose. In these fits of de- 
spondency his only consolations were interviews with 
Rose and Thompson. When he pointed out the rapidly 


CHRIST OR BARABBAS 


' 117 


accumulating evidence all seemingly pointing toward 
Rose as the culprit, Thompson quietly remarked that 
he fully expected all this to take place and that the 
case for Rose would even seem darker yet before and 
even at the trial, but that this would only make com- 
plete victory more astounding, and that something 
very dramatic — like the explosion of a bomb in an 
enemy's camp — would startle the Court, and vindicate 
Rose completely. And so Williams had to bide the 
hour of victory without a hint as to the quarter from 
which it should come. 

Truly, from the legal standpoint the case against 
Rose looked dark, if not absolutely hopeless. The 
popular scorn and ill-will against her and Whitman 
made it difficult for people to give unprejudiced judg- 
ment. She and Whitman had certainly violated the 
conventional moral code of Society — and how was the 
general public to know she had been forced to do so 
by the lack of Christian Charity and callous indiffer- 
ence of the “unco guid?" The religious public had a 
contempt for Whitman which degenerated into hatred 
for what appeared to be his blasphemous claims to 
Christhood and of prophetic power. The difficulties of 
her case were increased by the utter absence so far 
as the public mind was concerned of any theory ex- 
planatory of the crime. There was no other probable 
culprit. Quite true, the police for a time entertained 
the thought that one of the trio who had suffered so 
severely at Whitman's hands in the Market Place Riot, 
and who were known to cherish a feeling of revenge, 
had committed the dastardly deed. But investigation 
had proved for each one of these a clear alibi with 
such a wealth of confirmatory evidence that the police 
utterly abandoned the theory. As for Stone and 
Havergal, though known to have expressed contempt 
for the couple and to have voiced a desire to see the 
community well rid of them, their high standing in 


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CHRIST OR BARABBAS 


the church and society forbade the thought of men- 
tion of their names in connection with the murder. 
Quite true, there were a number in the city who 
regarded Havergars and Stone's association with the 
church as a cloak for dishonesty or even crime, yet 
these were not in a position to act, nor had they the 
courage to voice their suspicions in public. And as 
for Stone — as we shall see — he had a most elaborate 
alibi positively proving his presence in his office after 
12 o'clock on the night of the murder. 

Then there was also the evidence in hands of the 
police of sworn witnesses of Rose's quarrel with Whit- 
man over the deed to the farm and her threat of 
murder if Whitman failed to comply with her demand. 
Then her presence on the spot, her rifle with the still 
smoking barrel, and the bullet found in the autopsy 
agi’eeing with the caliber of the gun, and her grief 
(and apparent remorse) along with her incoherent 
and inconsistent replies when questioned by the merry- 
makers — all made a picture of seeming guilt that at 
times overwhelmed Williams with dismay. 

One little task had been assigned to his care by 
Thompson, and that was to ferret out every possible 
fact about the two young men as witnesses, for 
Thompson felt well convinced that this story was a 
frame-up and no such quarrel ever occurred as they 
had reported. In this work he met difficulties at 
every stage of his endeavors. The real or assumed 
names given to the Attorney were Thomas Brown 
and James Lanahan, and they had asserted in their 
testimony they were from Los Angeles and had been 
camping on the mountain side. But all his efforts 
failed to get more than a meager general description 
of them or to find them through the Los Angeles 
police. In the preliminary examination of the case 
when it had been decided to arrest Rose on the charge 
of murder, the City Attorney had promised that the 


CHRIST OR BARABBAS 


II9 


young men, though then absent from the city, would 
be available when the trial came off. All Williams" 
efforts to get information of their present whereabouts 
from the attorney ended in failure. 

Thompson, however, had been more fortunate, 
and looking in another direction guided by the same 
instinct which had heretofore never failed him in 
criminal investigations, had received a little packet 
from a friend of his, a Captain of Police in Denver 
city, which he occasionally took out of his drawer and 
carressed with loving care and over which he smiled 
good-naturedly in the quiet of his room and then hid 
away again under lock and key. 

The trial had been set for the October assizes and 
it was not till the first week in that month that Thomp- 
son's researches in one direction were rewarded with 
success. He was in his room one evening when a 
gentleman called upon him carrying a dark valise, and 
after a casual greeting and locking the door, the man 
stepped close to Thompson and, in a half-whisper, said : 

'T"ve found it at last!"" 

And Thompson, with hands trembling under the 
excitement of the announcement, took from him as 
he opened his valise upon the table, a parcel carefully 
tied up in wrapping paper, which, when opened, only 
disclosed some scraps of cloth with edges blackened 
by fire and some charred paper. When examined more 
carefully there were found an uninjured piece of the 
sleeve of a man"s coat, a remnant of the collar and 
a narrow margin of the front flap with one button 
intact and a bit of ravelled edge as from a tear and 
where another button should have been found a strip 
of lining almost but not quite dissevered from the 
cloth. 

Thompson took from his treasure drawer his 
leather purse and extracted from it the button and 
shred of cloth and lining which he himself had found 


m 


CHRIST OR BARABBAS 


in Whitman's hand, and proceeded leisurely to match 
therewith these remnants from the fire, while his vis- 
itor was eagerly watching his movements. After a 
moment he laid them all upon the table, and with a 
sigh of intense relief he said to his visitor: 

‘There's not a shadow of doubt. These remnants 
are silent yet convincing evidence of crime.” 

A moment later he patted his friend's shoulder 
and said: “You've done a noble work, my friend. I 
am advancing the money for this investigation so far 
— and I am so thoroughly pleased with your good work 
I hand you an extra ten with my best gratitude.'' 

Then they chatted pleasantly for a few minutes 
and, his friend who had been diligently searching the 
mountain-side for weeks, explained the location in 
which the fire had been lit that was intended to con- 
sume all of the disguise suit which the murderer had 
worn on the night of the crime. Then he added: 

“I have even found the negro driver who took 
him to the foothills on that fatal night. I have forced 
a confession from him by a threat of charging him 
with complicity in the murder. They left Stone's 
office a little before 10 p. m., as the negro will testify, 
and yet the murderer has a clear alibi with three wit- 
nesses who were in his office till after midnight to 
swear to his presence there shortly after 12 p. m. And 
the murder took place about midnight. It seems very 
mysterious.'' 

And Thompson replied: “And I have been mak- 
ing a private investigation of this gentleman's desk 
and office and have discovered the trick apparatus in 
his possession at that time, but now in my possession, 
by which he was able to deceive the witnesses.'' 

And so the momentous day of trial at last 
arrived. 


CHAPTER XI 


The Murder Trial 

January 18th, the day fixed for the deferred 
trial of Rose Cameron for the murder of Paul Whit- 
man, dawned bright and clear with a chill of coming 
winter in the air; despite the hope that had buoyed 
up the spirits of the accused girl up to that hour, she 
found a great dread and fear stealing over her heart. 
Up to the hour since the murder of Whitman she had 
dwelt mostly in solitude and her mind was stayed upon 
the memory of her great teacher and friend, and upon 
the exalted truths she had imbibed in his lessons, and 
these had enabled her in her prison cell to live in a 
sort of ideal world and had upheld her. Now she was 
to face the great public — the people whose minds were 
filled with misconception and prejudice — she, with a 
nameless child upon her bosom, who had been pitilessly 
condemned in a church trial and cast off as unworthy 
of fellowship with good people, and driven forth out 
of the city amidst a storm of scandal and abuse. She 
suffered under the added opprobrium of having as- 
sociated with the murdered man in a way utterly 
condemned by social conventions. To all this was 
added the awful charge of murder and a combination 
of circumstances so condemning in their character 
that unless something of the nature of a miracle 
should happen it would seem there was no escape from 
conviction by judge or jury. Truly her situation was 
one that might extort pity from the coldest heart, yet 
very few extended kindly thought to this beautiful 
girl as she took her place in the dock, attired in a 


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white dress with a rose upon her bosom. Even among 
the women who were present in great numbers there 
were but a few who bestowed a glance of pity upon 
the friendless girl, so dense and cruel is popular 
prejudice and so harsh and cruel is woman's judgment 
of one of their own sex, who dares to violate the con- 
ventions of the social order. The people believed she 
had stepped aside from the narrow path — that was 
enough. DeWitt Talmage once said: “There is more 
mercy in the fang of a viper than in woman's judg- 
ment of a fallen sister that dares to ignore the con- 
ventions." 

The Court Room was crowded to repletion. In 
addition to the city attorney who prosecuted the case, 
and his assistant and Herman Williams for the de- 
fence, there was a large array of legal talent from 
other cities attracted by the novel features in this 
case and the love all lawyers have for witnessing a 
real legal battle. In addition all classes in the social, 
religious and business world were represented. Large 
numbers failed to gain admission. 

Young Williams sat pale and expectant in his 
chair in his first great case, realizing the responsi- 
bilities of the hour and feeling how unequal the contest 
was between himself and his legal opponent who had 
years of experience to his credit and was recognized 
as a master of legal tactics in the conduct of a case. 
Somehow he felt that this trial was not only a turning 
point toward salvation or ruin for the girl he loved, 
but also that it meant success or failure in his chosen 
life-work for himself, and in his heart was an unvoiced 
prayer for wisdom and strength for the conflict before 
him. For a time he had thought seriously of securing 
the aid of some older attorney skilled in criminal cases 
and forensic battles, but on the advice and assurance 
of victory from Thompson, had decided to go on with 
the case single-handed against the great odds against 


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him. He felt somewhat hampered by sets of questions 
given him by Thompson to ask of certain witnesses 
and a certain order of procedure which Thompson had 
laid out, yet, inspired by his confidence in Thompson 
resolved to follow the directions given him. 

Stone occupied a seat with other legal gentlemen, 
well to the front, and upon his face was a look of 
quiet confidence and internal satisfaction as though 
the world was moving on very much to his liking and 
satisfactorily to all his friends. The Havergal family 
was represented by Dr. Richard Havergal, who sat 
conversing with two other clergymen, and by Charles 
Algernon Havergal, who sat with a younger set of 
men some distance in the rear. Most of those prom- 
inent or deeply interested in the Church trial of Rose 
were present in the greater crisis of her life. 

At precisely 10 o'clock the coming of Judge Willis 
was announced. The hum of voices ceased and the 
people arose as the venerable judge entered and took 
his seat. The Court opened. The legal battle was on. 

The Attorney for the state summoned witnesses 
to prove the death of Whitman, and the coroner and 
several of the merry-makers bore testimony to the 
finding of Whitman's body, shot through the heart, 
and the smoking rifle, and the presence of Rose Cam- 
eron in lamentation over the body of the murdered 
man. They identified Rose, and the rifle presented as 
an exhibit in the court. There was no cross-examina- 
tion of these witnesses as both sides were fully in 
accord as to the main facts in the case. 

Next came Thomas Brown and James Lanahan, 
the two important state witnesses who had reported 
the quarrel between Rose and Whitman on the moun- 
tain side. They both identified Rose as the woman 
in the case. They repeated with minor additions the 
statements formerly made to the City Attorney. 

Williams' examination of these witnesses was very 


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CHRIST OR BARABBAS 


brief and seemingly perfunctory. His questions related 
to the place of interview^ the hour of the day, the 
distinctness with which they heard the conversation, 
the distance between the witnesses and Rose and 
Whitman at the time of the quarrel, with no attempt 
on his part whatever to discredit their testimony, or 
even to suggest a suspicion of its genuineness. Indeed 
had he been prosecutor in place of defendant in the 
case he could not have treated them with more gentle- 
ness and respect. 

The Court seemed astounded that Williams had 
done no brow-beating, used no artifice to turn their 
statements against each other, and refrained from 
asking any leading questions about themselves that 
might have perplexed the gentlemen and confused 
them. The attorneys witnessing the trial showed 
plainly their contempt for Williams’ method of treat- 
ing leading witnesses against his client. 

The young men took their seats with a smile of 
satisfaction on their faces. They had not expected 
such plain sailing. The City Attorney looked with 
seeming pity on Williams as he allowed these two 
star witnesses to take their seats without the slightest 
effort to discredit them or to weaken the force of 
their testimony. 

Next came a Captain of the Police, who deposed 
to finding a will among Whitman’s papers leaving his 
farm to Rose Cameron. The announcement of this 
will proved a shock to Rose and was a surprise to 
Williams, who feared the use that would be made of 
the fact in attempting to prove illicit associations 
between Rose and Whitman, and thus more deeply 
prejudice the jury, and also the seeming confirmation 
this gave to the testimony already given of a quarrel 
between Rose and Whitman over this very subject. 

Next followed a number of witnesses to prove 
that Rose Cameron and Paul Whitman had been 


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dwelling in closely adjoining woodland retreats for 
several weeks and had often been seen in association 
about the city and on the mountain side, and that this 
association continued up to the murder of Whitman. 

The Attorney then asked leave to introduce a 
minute from the Records of St. Andrew's Church to 
prove that Rose had been guilty of falsehood and im- 
morality. The Judge heard the request in silence and 
there was a moment of waiting, with all eyes in the 
court room turned upon Williams, who was evidently 
expected to oppose most vigorously the introduction 
of this extraneous testimony. But Williams sat per- 
fectly quiet and unmoved and did not seem disposed 
to offer even a formal protest. So the Record was 
introduced and accepted and a smile of incredulity — 
almost akin to the contempt shown for a weak and 
cowardly contestant in the ring — sat upon the faces 
of the attorneys in court. 

John Stone's smile had broadened into a grin as 
he watched the seemingly farcical battle William was 
fighting. 

The Court took a recess. As the crowd was pass- 
ing out Stone was heard to remark: “It's a d d 

poor fight that young cad of a Williams is putting up. 
It's a shame that a girl tried for her life shouldn't 
have a better counsel. Of course, though, no counsel 
could save her." 

“That's true," said another of the legal fraternity, 
“Williams hasn't a particle of fight in him. It is a 
shame." 

Then a gentleman who was touching elbows with 
them, turning, faced them and said: 

“Better wait. Williams may have more up his 
sleeve than you think. I rather expect surprises at 
this trial." And Stone looking round saw that the 
speaker was Thompson, former janitor of the Hodgson 
block who had resigned his position some time ago 


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and was supposed to have left the city. Then there 
came over Stone the first uncomfortable shiver of 
apprehension which was repeated and augmented 
when he received before the afternoon Court session 
a subpoena to appear at the trial as witness for the 
defense. At the same hour young Havergal and two 
other very warm friends of his received subpoenas for 
the defence. And each one so receiving began to 
wonder what possible testimony Williams could hope 
for from them. 

A little episode occurred during the court recess 
that is worthy of note. Williams had decided to ask 
the Judge to rule that all witnesses attendant at the 
trial should remain in attendance until the case was 
given to the jury. On consultation with Thompson 
he found that he had already taken effective measures 
to secure the two campers until the end of the trial. 
Going to the Police Captain he opened and displayed 
the contents of a small packet which the reader has 
already seen him extracting from a locked drawer and 
handling with great fondness, and with a few words 
of explanation the Captain had agreed very readily to 
keep them under strict surveillance. After the morn- 
ing session these young men had repaired to their 
hotel and were making preparations for an early 
departure from the city when two policemen waited 
on them and apprised them of the fact that if they 
attempted to leave before the trial ended they would 
be arrested on a very serious charge. The young men 
decided to stay and were subpoenaed for the defence. 

Another great throng was in the Court Room 
when the Judge entered and the case was resumed. 
The Attorney for the State then explained to the 
Court that as he should endeavor to prove that the 
accused woman had been misled and her mind poi- 
soned by the pernicious teachings and blashpemous 
doctrines of her former associate, he desired to intro- 


CHRIST OR BARABBAS 


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duce testimony as to the character and conduct of the 
murdered man, and the peculiar nature of his teach- 
ings as throwing light upon the contentions between 
the murdered man and the accused woman and ex- 
plaining in some degree the cause of the crime. His 
Honor ruled that such testimony could not be intro- 
duced, and the attorney then proceeded with his 
address to Court and Jury which lasted over an hour. 

He rehearsed the testimony given, dwelt on the 
career of Rose Cameron since she came into the com- 
munity, showed how unreliable her word was from 
the Records of the church trial and enlarged upon the 
associations of Whitman and Rose Cameron, putting 
special emphasis on the testimony which recounted 
the quarrel between her and Whitman as to the farm 
and closed with an eloquent appeal to the Jury to 
vindicate justice and the majesty of the law by a 
verdict of wilful murder against the accused woman. 

Williams took the floor and summoned as his first 
witness Charles Algernon Havergal. This name pro- 
duced a sensation in the Court Room for a variety of 
reasons. The general public had never in thought 
connected him in any way with the case. It was of 
course well known that Rose had been an inmate of 
his father's family and had been expelled from his 
father's church. It set all the quidnuncs wondering 
as to what was coming. It produced a marked im- 
pression upon Stone and his band of conspirators and 
upon some of the rougher elements who knew of 
Charlie's escapades. Rose found great difficulty in 
controlling her emotions as this shameless betrayer 
of her honor took the stand to perjure himself in self- 
defence, yet resting all his hope of deliverance from 
the condemnation which he knew was due him on her 
sense of honor in withholding the truth from the 
public. 


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CHRIST OR BARABBAS 


After being sworn the two antagonists faced each 
other in a contest more real and far more important 
than that of the physical encounter in the Market 
Place. Williams had thrown off his indifference, cast 
aside his mild and insinuating graciousness and now 
the spirit of battle was upon him and gave a ring and 
crispness to his voice, a light to his eyes, a vigor to 
his movements that woke up the whole court room to 
increased interest. Every eye was fixed upon the 
two contestants, every ear strained to hear each word 
and everyone felt that the very air was vibrant with 
intense thought, emotion and will power. Williams 
was fighting a just battle and for the girl he had 
learned to love and with a foe he knew who was worthy 
of the worst possible punishment. 

In clear stinging tones he asked : 'When did you 
first meet Rose Cameron?” 

Havergal felt the question like a blow and halted 
a moment and then said, "On my return home from 
College about the first of July last.” 

"Are you positively sure that you did not meet 
and know her as Rose Cameron before?” 

"No, I did not,” affirmed Havergal with some 
warmth. 

"Did you ever on any occasion or for any reason 
assume the name of Professor Reginald Squires?” 
asked Williams. 

Havergal visibly paled at this question. His 
countenance was livid. He looked about the Court 
Room in a dazed sort of way, as if seeking help. Then, 
summoning his strength and with a look of deadly 
hatred in his eyes, he faced Williams and said angrily: 

"No, I did not.” 

"Did you ever under any name,” continued Will- 
iams in the same clear, decisive tone, "beguile a girl 
into a mock marriage and then — desert — her?” 


CHRIST OR BARABBAS 


]29 


''Assuredly not” blurted out Havergal, another 
spasm of pain passing over his frame, leaving his face 
drawn, haggard and bloodless. A trembling of his 
hands and limbs was quite manifest. He was suffer- 
ing intensely. 

Williams proceeded, his voice growing more and 
more incisive as he faced his antagonist: "Did you 
know in your College days fellow students by the name 
of Richard Holbrook, James Ashton and Thomas Fair- 
banks?^^ 

Havergal, with a quaver in his voice, answered, 
"I did.^^ 

"Did you ever make a bet with Thomas Fair- 
banks?'' Williams shouted in rapid speech. 

"I do not remember — possibly I did. Students 
often make bets." 

"Did you ever bet one hundred dollars you could 
win and marry a young lady within a month?" was 
the next bolt Williams launched in his rapid-fire attack. 

"Most certainly not," said Havergal, with more 
boldness than before. He was now getting his second 
wind, having called up all his mental reserve forces. 

"Do you know where James Ashton is now?" 

"I do not." 

"Would you know his signature if you saw it?" 
asked Williams. 

"Possibly, I might," answered Havergal, again 
wavering and hesitating. 

"Well," said Williams, stepping close to Havergal 
and speaking very emphatically every word, "James 
Ashton is dying in Los Angeles. This is his signa- 
ture," displaying a paper before Havergal's face, 
"given to an affidavit he made a few days ago. See if 
you recognize that signature," said Williams, towering 
above the shrinking form of Havergal and thrusting 
the paper into his hand. 

Havergal convulsively grasped the paper, glanced 


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at it a moment, then stood stock still, looking but with 
almost sightless eyes — a glassy stare had taken the 
place of the intelligence which shines from the normal 
eye. 

Williams waited a moment, while no one in the 
court room seemed to breathe, so intense was the in- 
terest, and then repeated: 

''Can you recognize James Ashton^s signature?^' 

Havergal seemed beyond the power of speech, 
completely paralyzed with fear, a pitiable craven. 
Then there was a murmuring in the court room which 
the Judge sternly repressed and, Williams finding no 
response from his witness, took the paper from Hav- 
ergal's nerveless hand and, turning to Judge and Jury, 
said : 

"This is James Ashton's dying confession. It 
discloses the bet, the plot, the mock marriage of Hav- 
ergal, as Professor Reginald Squires and Rose Cameron 
— and Havergal's desertion of Rose — and here," he 
said, producing another paper, "is the Richard Hol- 
brook confession — and here is the Marriage Certifi- 
cate," exhibiting it to the Court, "of Professor Reg- 
inald Squires and Rose Cameron." 

The court room was in a hubbub. Most of the 
people were on their feet, some talking and gesticu- 
lating. The Judge, after restoring order, threatened 
to exclude the public if such a scene was ever pre- 
sented again. 

At the mention of the Marriage Certificate a 
shock as from an electric current passed over Haver- 
gal's frame. His frame convulsed, then straightened 
for a moment, his eyes caught the look of intelligence 
again and, grasping the Certificate from Williams' 
hands, he looked it over again and then, a groan as 
from a dying man escaped his lips and he fell senseless 
to the floor. 

He was carried out, revived and a taxi started 
with him to the hospital. 


CHRIST OR BARABBAS 


131 


Williams then presented the two confessions and 
the Marriage Certificate, and the Court ruled that as 
they had an important bearing upon the case, though 
not in line of direct evidence, they should be accepted. 

In less than an hour word came from the hospital 
that Havergal was dead. He had shot himself fatally 
on the way and only survived a few minutes after he 
arrived there. In less than another hour a bulletin 
announced the death of Mrs. Havergal from heart 
failure. She was stricken at once on the news of the 
Court Room scene and later news brought to her of 
the serious illness — as the report was modified for 
her weakened condition — of her son brought on the 
crisis resulting in death. These two deaths in one 
family and the consequent excitement that filled the 
minds of the public and rose to a higher pitch in the 
Court Room, induced the Judge to suspend the hear- 
ing until the following day. 

That evening was a troubled and sleepless one 
for Richard Stone, about whose path the shadows 
were gathering and who felt an unaccountable dread 
of the coming morrow. His troubled soul felt pre- 
monitions through the fate of Havergal that the 
defence had still further surprises for Judge and Jury 
in store and his strong confidence in the security of 
his position which had upheld him through the open- 
ing trial was now giving way to a nervous fear of 
something undefined, and for that very reason the 
more dreadful, in his pathway. Through the gather- 
ing mists he saw occasional glimpses of a hand-writing 
on the wall foretelling judgment. 

The following day at 10 a. m., another surprise 
awaited the spectators of the trial before Judge Willis. 
Richard Stone, a lawyer of eminence, a man well and 
favorably known and a recognized church worker, 
whom the general public did not connect in the re- 
motest degree with the crime, was summoned as a 


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CHRIST OR BARABBAS 


witness for the defence, and the spectators were all 
agog with wonder as to what possible testimony this 
eminent citizen might be expected to furnish. It is 
true, those acquainted with the Church Trial knew 
him as a member of the Judicatory that tried Rose 
Cameron, but how could this man be connected even 
as a witness with the murder trial? Williams pro- 
ceeded much in the same manner and method of 
address as with Havergal — shooting out his sharp and 
rapid queries apparently with little deference to the 
eminence of the witness’ standing in the community 
and eliciting from Stone and from the State Attorney 
repeated protests, the Attorney protesting against 
what he regarded as unworthy insinuations in some 
of the questions asked. These protests, however, the 
Judge overruled and ordered the witness to answer. 

After a number of formal questions as to name, 
place of business, legal standing, identification with 
Church and the Church Trial, Williams suddenly faced 
the witness with the startling question: 

'Where were you, Mr. Stone, on the night of 
Whitman’s murder?” 

'T was in my office from 8 o’clock till after 12 
writing a brief and then in my rooms in the Lincoln 
House.” 

"Were you alone in your office, or did you have 
company?” asked Williams. 

"It so happened,” said Stone, "that two gentle- 
men interested in a land deal were there conversing 
with me till about 10 o’clock. I then left them to talk 
over the proposition more fully -and went into my 
private office to work upon my brief.” 

"Did these gentlemen remain in the main office 
while you were alone in your private office?” asked 
Williams. 

"They did remain till after midnight.” 

"Did you hold any conversation with them while 


CHRIST OR BARABBAS 


IS3 

you were in the private office and they were in the 
public office?'' 

Stone replied: “Only an occasional remark or 
two." 

“How do you know they remained until after 
midnight ?" 

“A little after 12," said Stone, “one of them 
called out. What time is it? my watch has stopped,' 
and I answered, it is ten minutes past twelve." 

“When did the gentlemen leave?" 

“I heard them go out soon after the question was 
asked," replied the witness. 

“When did you leave the office?" 

“A few minutes after my friends had gone." 

“Did they bid you goodnight?" 

“They certainly did," said Stone. 

“Did you bid them goodnight?" 

“I assuredly did say to them ‘Goodnight, boys,' " 
replied Stone. 

“And you swear positively that you were in your 
office uninterruptedly from about 8 o'clock in the eve- 
ning until after 12 on the night of Whitman's mur- 
der?" 

“I do," replied Stone confidently. 

By this time the Judge and Jury and all the 
spectators were thoroughly apprised from the drift 
of the questions that some additional revelations were 
to come, and the tension of feeling and interest was 
wrought up to a very high pitch. 

The witness himself, a man well trained in Court 
experience and well versed in the art of exciting 
emotion in others and hiding it in himself, was begin- 
ning to show the storm of nervous exhaustion caused 
by the downfall of his chief lieutenant, Havergal, and 
by the very exasperating questions Williams had dared 
to address to him, every one of which pointed the finger 
of suspicion upon himself. 


134 


CHRIST OR BARABBAS 


Williams seemed to know intuitively that the 
psychological moment had arrived for breaking down 
Stone's defences, and after a moment's quiet, rushed 
upon the witness with a tremendous energy in his 
voice and manner and shouted in his ear: 

‘"Have you a secret exit from your inner office?" 

Stone visibly started, quailed before the force of 
that question as from a blow. His countenance 
changed and one could see that the shaft had gone 
home and pierced the soul of the lawyer. There was 
no answer. The question was repeated, and no re- 
sponse till the Judge ordered the witness to answer. 
Then in a low voice Stone said, ‘‘Yes." 

“Did you not leave the inner office about 10 
o'clock on the night of the murder and proceed in an 
auto toward the mountains?" asked Williams. 

“I did not," Stone replied defiantly. 

Here Williams asked permission to introduce evi- 
dence circumstantial to prove that another person 
than Rose Cameron committed the murder. He stated 
his grounds for request. There was no direct and 
positive evidence that Rose Cameron committed the 
deed. All the evidence was circumstantial. And 
hence there was no way of combating the circum- 
stantial evidence against the accused except by show- 
ing — as he proposed to do — that there was other and 
stronger evidence of a circumstantial character against 
another. 

He was granted permission to introduce a phono- 
graphic record which had been found in Stone's inner 
office by a detective (Sensation) — also an exhibit of 
fragments of a man's coat, including a button and a 
shred of cloth and lining and some scraps of paper 
with burned edges. He then proceeded with Stone's 
examination by asking: 

“Are you aware that a man left your office about 
10 o'clock by the secret exit on the night of the 


CHRIST OR BARABBAS 


135 


murder and proceeded in an auto toward the foothills 
and left the auto for an hour or more and returned 
to it aboht 1 o'clock, changed his suit of clothing, and 
hired the driver to secrete the first suit and after- 
wards bum it?" 

know nothing about any such occurrence. I 
was busy with my writing," answered Stone. 

'‘Here," said Williams, "are the charred remnants 
of a coat burned in a little ravine on the mountain 
side recently. See here a scrap of newspaper dated 
four days before the murder — evidently used to wrap 
the suit in — and on the margin it has the name of 
John Stone. The suit from which these remnants 
came was made for you by Miller Brothers of this 
city. Their books show you bought it three years 
ago. The cloth has been identified from their ware- 
house. Do you recognize these as remnants of a suit 
you once owned?" 

"No, I do not," snarled the witness, who had the 
look of a beast at bay. 

"Do you recognize this phonographic record?" 
asked the council. 

"No," blurted out the witness, whose temper was 
now master of him, and who looked as though he 
could murder the lawyer so unmercifully driving him 
over the precipice. 

"Did you," continued Williams, "have a phono- 
graph in your office on the night of the murder, with 
a prepared record to answer a prepared question, and 
a confederate there to operate it for you to fraudulently 
prepare an alibi?" 

"No," said Stone, in a voice vibrant with passion. 

Meanwhile Rose sat with varying emotions upon 
her tell-tale face, evidently forgetting for a time her 
own danger, in her growing pity for the poor wretch, 
around whose neck Williams was adding strand after 
strand of the silken cord that should strangle him a 


136 


CHRIST OR BARABBAS 


little later. Everyone who heard the questions and 
answers and saw the changing countenance of the 
witness, felt that Stone was already a doomed man. 

Stone was dismissed and slunk away to his seat 
in the comer so thoroughly weakened in body and 
mind by the deadly fear that had seized him that he 
almost lost self-control. After a moment or two his 
nervous tension was so great and he was so uncom- 
fortable that seizing his hat he was proceeding out 
of the Court Room when a hand was laid upon his 
shoulder and a policeman in plain clothes exhibited 
his star and said: “I am ordered to arrest you if 
you attempt to leave the room.” 

Next the negro chauffeur was called upon and 
deposed to the fact that he had been engaged by Stone 
to drive him on the night of the murder to the foot- 
hills and that Stone was dressed in the checkered suit, 
the remmants of which were on exhibition ; that Stone 
left the auto between 11 and 12 and came back about 
1 o'clock, that he then changed his clothes, having 
with him another suit in the bundle; that Stone re- 
turned with him in the auto, and paid him for secreting 
the suit and for burning it at some distance from 
where the auto halted. The above evidence was re- 
ceived by the Court who overruled some objections of 
the State Attorney. 

Turning to the Judge, Williams said: 

‘‘Your Honor, may I ask in the interests of truth 
and justice that this session stand adjourned, and 
that Your Honor and the Jury repair to Mr. Stone's 
inner office to view the secret exit and the phonograph 
and record as a thorough understanding of these is 
necessary to elucidate the plot in connection with the 
murder.'' 

The judge adjourned the Court and ordered the 
Jury to repair with him and the Counsel to the cham- 
bers occupied by Stone. When gathered in the inner 


CHRIST OR BARABBAS 


137 


office Williams and Thompson, by a removal of the 
desk and pressing a panel in the wall, showed an 
entrance to an adjoining room, from which through a 
trap door and by means of a rope ladder a person 
could make an exit into the hall and then out of the 
building. 

Next they adjusted the record to the phonograph 
and showed how Stone, by the aid of an assistant in 
his inner office and a confederate in the outer office, 
was able to respond in a voice that could be recognized 
to a prepared question when he himself was far away. 

Richard Stone was placed under arrest for the 
murder of Whitman before the Court resumed its 
session at 3 p. m. Williams then called the young 
campers as witnesses for the defence, who in turn 
confessed they had been bribed by Stone to give the 
evidence as to the quarrel between Rose and Whitman 
— that they had appeared under fictitious names and, 
that upon being confronted with their own photos 
from the Rogues' Gallery in Denver as wanted by the 
police there, they had determined upon legal advice, 
to make a full confession and seek the leniency of the 
Court. Then occurred what had seldom or never ap- 
peared before, the submission of a case to the Jury 
without a summing up of evidence on the part of the 
prosecuting attorney. 

Williams' address was brief but eloquent, and 
dwelt upon the persecution of Rose and upon her 
heroic conduct in hiding the name of her betrayer 
from the public — preferring rather to suffer disgrace 
and ignominy herself than injure the woman who had 
befriended her as a stranger in a strange city. He 
traced her lofty conduct, her forbearance and her 
courage and Christlike spirit to the exalted teachings 
of that great man and noble teacher and prophet, 
Paul Whitman, whose name had been vilified but 
whose character would yet be vindicated and become 


138 


CHRIST OR BARABBAS 


resplendent as the noon-day sun. He was a confident 
that the Jury would not require much time to reach 
the decision, and that their verdict would be a full 
and ample refutation of all false charges and accusa- 
tions against one of the noblest and most heroic women 
of the age. 

There were times when his eloquent words so 
stirred the emotions of the jurors and spectators that 
only the stern reprimand of the Court prevented an 
outburst of applause. His Honor charged the Jury 
strongly in favor of the acquittal of Rose Cameron. 
The Jury retired and were locked in, but were absent 
only half an hour when they returned with a verdict 
of ‘‘Not Guilty 

It was impossible then to restrain the people who 
not only broke out into thunders of applause but rose 
en masse and, forgetful of the dignity of the place 
and the solemnity of the occasion, w^ere surging to- 
ward the dais till the Sergeant at Arms and his 
assistants drove them back and restored order, after 
which the session was duly adjourned. 

It is singular how suddenly popular sentiment 
may change and to what heights it may rise, and how 
mighty are its reactions. The people were so caught 
in the great tidal wave of sentiment that arose in 
favor of Rose and her attorney and the young detec- 
tive, Thompson — now recognized as the power behind 
the throne — that they insisted on seeing and congrat- 
ulating Rose and her two friends. Williams, however, 
securing the attention of the surging mass and thank- 
ing them for their good will, explained to them how 
impossible it would be for Miss Cameron after the 
ordeal of the trial to meet the many who were clam- 
oring for a handshake and a brief interview. Then 
a gentleman who was manager of the largest hotel 
in the city arose and asked if Miss Cameron, Williams 
and Thompson would meet their friends in his Recep- 


CHRIST OR BARABBAS 


139 


tion Room the following evening — offering its gratui- 
tious use and promising it should be suitably decorated 
for the occasion. 

This proposal elicited a ringing cheer and a 
promise having been made by Williams the company 
dispersed, and Rose was led out supported by Williams 
and Thompson to a quiet hotel where she found 
needed rest and refreshment. 

In parting from them an hour later Rose took 
a hand of each in hers and said, 'Tor what you have 
done for me, and done so well, so unselfishly, and also 
for Him who is ever in my mind and heart, I have not 
words to thank you. My poor speech can only faintly 
express the deep gratitude of my heart. My life shall 
testify my gratitude, and I want to thank you in His 
name. Heaven must — I know heaven will reward you 

as I never can ” and bursting into a flood of tears 

she turned hastily away and left them. 

Next evening the spacious Reception Room of the 
Arlington Hotel was most elaborately adorned with a 
wilderness of flowers and foliage plants. Exquisite 
music was discoursed by a fine orchestra. The spacious 
hall was thronged with the wealth and fashion of the 
city, and many citizens of note and influence were 
present when Rose, simply but most becomingly 
gowned in white, with a single rose as ornament upon 
her bosom and supported by her two legal friends, 
walked through the room to receive the congratula- 
tions and the praise of all. She was praised until her 
cheeks burned crimson, and she tried again and again 
to turn the tide of congratulations upon Williams and 
Thompson, and these two generous souls with the 
same unselfishness gave the credit to each other and 
praised Rose. 

From the obscurity and obloquy of the prison cell 
Rose had risen in a day to be a general favorite with 
all classes. Her youth, her beauty, her heroism, her 


CHRIST OR BARABBAS 


UO 

high sense of honor and her remarkable career were 
on everyone's lips. 

It would seem as though the people were deter- 
mined to make amends for their wrong judgment, 
their stolid indifference, their injustice and bitter 
persecution by every act of kindness and appreciation. 

Rose had settled in a neat little bungalow in the 
suburbs and, with the money readily advanced to her 
on Whitman's unincumbered farm, was able at mod- 
erate expense to furnish it tastefully and live in 
comfort with a maid as her sole companion. Here 
she received from time to time her visitors whose 
continued good-will after the trial showed the hold 
she had won on the minds and hearts of the very 
community that had so unjustly persecuted her before. 

A month had passed by since the trial and 
Thompson — as he was known in the city — had re- 
turned to his home and his work. Her life was settling 
down into order and calm after the excitement of her 
imprisonment and trial when Williams called one eve- 
ning upon a ‘‘little matter of business." 

“Yes, and I know very well what business it is," 
said Rose, “for I have already spoken to you twice 
about it, but you have put me off each time. Your 
bill should have been paid long ago. I suppose it is 
a large one." 

“But," remarked Williams, “you told me the 
night of the trial you could never pay me." 

“And that is quite true," said Rose. “No matter 
if it took the farm my Teacher gave me — that and 
many farms could never pay you. I owe my liberty, 
possibly my life to you." 

“I think you said also," continued Williams, “that 
Heaven would repay me." 

“Why so I did," said Rose. “How well you re- 
member." 

“Yes," responded Williams, “my memory is per- 


CHRIST OR BARABBAS 


HI 


feet in some subjects. It seems to me — I remember 
every word you ever spoke to me — every look, every 
inflection of your voice I ever heard.” 

She arose at this — as under some internal excite- 
ment or emotion — and turned her face from him — as 
though in fear — but again took her seat beside him 
and said: 

“But the fee, Mr. Williams?” 

“Oh, yes,” said Williams, “the fee. It is a very 
large one and I need it now very much.” 

She moved nervously to her little desk nearby 
and was reaching out for her check book when he 
gently restrained her hand and leading her back to 
the sofa took a seat beside her and, still holding her 
hand imprisoned, he said: 

“Rose, I am going to ask the largest fee a woman 
ever paid. I am going to ask the hand and the heart 
of the woman I love.” 

She turned her gaze upon him and seemed to be 
looking down into the depths of his soul, and then as 
if satisfied, resigned herself to his embrace. 

“The first time I saw you,” he continued, “admir- 
ation sprang up in my heart. Then as I learned your 
sufferings, pity and sympathy grew up in my soul for 
you. Then as I knew you better I began to love and 
worship you. Rose, dear, let me make a confession. 
I do not deserve the praise you and others have given 
me. I was fighting not only a battle for truth and 
innocence and justice for you, I was fighting for myself 
as well. I knew I could not live without you. I've 
been fighting for my own life as well as yours. Have 
I fought the battle well?” 

He felt her hand trembling in his and saw the 
face half turned away, and for a moment was in 
doubt — when suddenly she looked up at him — the tear 
drops trembling on her long eye lashes and her face 


U2 


CHRIST OR BARABBAS 


radiant with a heavenly smile, reminding him of sun- 
shine and flowers after rain, and throwing maidenly 
modesty aside, said simply, 

‘‘I love you.” 

And Williams said a moment after, 

“Heaven has amply repaid me.” 


9 . 

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